Sri Lanka beat the West Indies by 41 runs in the first ODI at Sabina Park, Kingston, opening the three-match series with a 1-0 lead and a winning debut for captain Kusal Mendis and head coach Gary Kirsten.
Sri Lanka were sent in and posted 303 for 7 in their 50 overs, anchored by half-centuries from opener Pathum Nissanka (79 off 103) and skipper Mendis (72 off 62, four fours and four sixes). Charith Asalanka added a brisk 45 from 44 balls before falling to Matthew Forde in the 49th over. Jayden Seales removed Kamindu Mendis early on with a short ball but the West Indian attack was unable to stem the flow once Nissanka and Mendis put on 136 for the second wicket.
In reply, the West Indies were bowled out for 262 in 49.2 overs, falling short despite captain Shai Hope’s 56 off 66 and a 56-ball 50 from Matthew Forde lower down. Dushmantha Chameera was the pick of the Sri Lankan attack, finishing with four wickets including the prize scalp of Hope, who chopped a slower ball to backward point at 167 for 5 and sparked a collapse from which the hosts never recovered. Asalanka chipped in with the late wicket of Seales to wrap up the innings, ESPNcricinfo’s scorecard showed.
The result is a winning debut for the Mendis–Kirsten era, which began with a dominant warm-up victory over a Jamaica Select XI on Sunday. The second ODI of the series follows.
Update — June 6: Sri Lanka were fined 10 per cent of their match fee for maintaining a slow over-rate in the Kingston ODI, Ada Derana reported. Richie Richardson of the Emirates ICC Elite Panel of Match Referees imposed the sanction after Kusal Mendis’ side was ruled to be two overs short of the target after time allowances under Article 2.22 of the ICC Code of Conduct.
