(23 overs) West Indies 196 for 2 (Lewis 102*, Rutherford 50*, Asitha 1-39) beaten Sri Lanka 156 for 3 (Kusal 56, Nissanka 56, Chase 1-20) by eight wickets (DLS method)
Sri Lanka, on the other hand, had put up a valiant effort after their innings was reduced to less than half. The first 17.2 overs had come before the rain intervened, and on resumption they were given just 5.4 more overs to establish a competitive total.
Rutherford’s rapid emergence saw him plunder 50 from just 26 deliveries, including four fours and three sixes, with his partnership with Lewis rising to an unbeaten 88 from just 45 deliveries. It was a crucial position in the context of the game as it came just when Sri Lanka could have been entertaining thoughts of a late heist.
With the required run rate at around 8.5 per over from the start, West Indies had done well to pretty much keep pace in the first ten overs – there was at least one boundary in seven of the first 11 overs. But in such a short chase, even a few low-key overs can increase the pressure – and that proved to be the case.
Between the 11th and 17th over, Sri Lanka gave away only 40 runs when the required rate was over 11.50 runs per over. Skipper Charith Asalanka had done well during this period by shuffling his pack to sneak in a few cheap overs from himself and Kamindu Mendis – both of whom made up the fifth bowler’s quota after Wanindu Hasaranga struggled to control a wet ball.
Where Asalanka erred was in playing for one player too many himself, allowing Rutherford and Lewis to chase after him. That 14-point overrun set the tone, after which both men never looked back. The miserly Maheesh Theekshana was flushed for 18 in the next over, while even the excellent Asitha Fernando was hounded for 26 off his last two. Dilshan Madushanka, playing his first ODI since March, made 50 for five.
This, however, owes much to the fact that West Indies wasted three chances – two from Nissanka and one from Avishka – in the first ten overs. That poor catch didn’t improve much after the five-hour rain delay, with Kusal also falling twice en route to becoming Sri Lanka’s third-fastest batter to 4,000 ODI runs.
It all started with the remaining four balls in Roston Chase’s second over, as Kusal proceeded to slam each one for boundaries – two accurate pulls, a superb straight drive and finally a lucky inside edge through leg fine. In total, Sri Lanka hit 12 boundaries in the last 34 deliveries they faced.
The shortened game also had repercussions on West Indies’ bowling plans, as the new conditions meant that three bowlers were given a quota of five overs each, while two others were given four each. With Chase over, in which Kusal had hit four consecutive boundaries, finished late, and with Sri Lanka in a boisterous mood, West Indies were suddenly faced with the proposition of figuring out how Gudakesh Motie, Jayden Seales and Alzarri Joseph – who had bowled four, four and three overs, respectively – would divide the remainder.
And with the economical Matthew Forde having already bowled five overs before the rain break, this meant that only two more bowlers could bowl five; so they had to find one more somewhere.
With Chase being sent down on the resumption of play, it was left to Rutherford to roll his arm, and he was duly taken for 17 runs with two fours and a six. And as Kusal’s carefree innings continued in earnest, Sri Lanka eventually managed to put up a competitive total – even if it just proved not good enough on the day.