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Sri Lanka clinched a commanding 5-wicket victory over West Indies in the second ODI, held at the Pallekele International Cricket Stadium on Wednesday.
West Indies Innings
After winning the toss, Sri Lanka elected to bowl first, a decision that quickly paid off. West Indies struggled against the disciplined Sri Lankan bowling attack, managing to post only 189 runs before being bowled out in 36 overs.
Sherfane Rutherford provided the backbone to the West Indies innings with a fighting knock of 80 off 82 balls, including 7 fours and 4 sixes. Gudakesh Motie contributed a valuable 50 off 61 balls lower down the order, but the rest of the batting lineup failed to support these efforts.
For Sri Lanka, Maheesh Theekshana was the star with the ball, taking 3 wickets for just 25 runs in his 9 overs. Asitha Fernando also impressed, picking up 3 wickets for 35 runs in his 7 overs. However, Wanindu Hasaranga caused the maximum damage, taking 4 wickets for 40 runs in his 8 overs, stifling the West Indian middle order.
Sri Lanka Innings
Chasing a modest target of 190, Sri Lanka’s top order was initially shaky but managed to recover well, securing the win in 38.2 overs with five wickets in hand. Nishan Madushka set the tone for the chase with a steady 38 off 44 balls, while Sadeera Samarawickrama matched him with an identical score of 38 off 50 deliveries.
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The standout performance came from Charith Asalanka, who anchored the innings with a brilliant 62 not out off 61 balls, striking 7 fours and 1 six. His calm presence at the crease ensured Sri Lanka remained on track despite losing wickets at regular intervals. Janith Liyanage also played a crucial role with 24 off 34 balls to support Asalanka and guide Sri Lanka towards victory.
For the West Indies, Alzarri Joseph was the pick of the bowlers, taking 2 wickets for 30 runs in his 6 overs, but it was not enough to stop the Sri Lankan batters from chasing down the target.
Player of the Match
Maheesh Theekshana was named Player of the Match for his outstanding bowling performance that set up the victory for Sri Lanka.
With this win, Sri Lanka have now taken a 2-0 lead in the series, having won the first ODI by 5 wickets via the DLS method. The third and final ODI will be played on Saturday, October 26, at the same venue, where Sri Lanka will aim for a clean sweep, while West Indies will look for redemption.
