ICC ODI Championship  
West Indies Sri Lanka ODI Series 2021 
2nd Match Played at North Sound on 13 March 2021 
West Indies 274/5 in 49.4 Overs (Elvin Lewis 103, Shai Hope 84, Nicholas Puran 35, Thisra Perera 2/45, Nuwan Pradeep 2/66) 
Sri Lanka 273/8 In 50 Overs (Danuska Gunatilaka 96, Dinesh Chandimal 71, PWH Silva 47, Jason Mohammad 3/47, Aljari Josef 2/42) 
West Indies won by 5 Wickets 
Player of The Match: Elvin Lewis. 

West Indies wrapped up the 3 matches series 2-0 with one match to play. Responding to Sri Lankan score of 273 /8 scoring 274/5 in 49.4 overs west Indies won by 5 wickets. The possibility of a Carribean black wash is looming. World Cricket witness another new look West Indies team got Bangla Wash in an ODI series only few weeks back. 

Although the match almost went down to the wire yet the supremacy of West Indies Over Sri Lanka was never in a doubt. A surge of Caribbean wave, Lewis and Hope bringing back memories of Desmond Haynes and Gordon Greenidge swept Lankans by 5 wickets.

During the Corona crisis West Indies is perhaps one of the beneficiaries playing the maximum number of matches across the length and breadth of cricket world. They started the international cricket winning a test match against England in England. Played T20 and Test Matches in New Zealand, also played ODI and Test matches in Bangladesh. So many players donned West Indies color. Finally with vision narrowed to two ICC events T20 and ODI drawing close West Indies authorities are gradually forming winning combinations. 

Winning the toss West Indies sent visitors to bat. Alzarri Joseph struck an early blow cleaning out Karunaratne too early in the 3rd over. Pathum Nishanka followed also suit soon almost a carbon copy of Karunaratne dismissal. When Oshanda Fernando was almost removed by Akeal Hossain cheaply Sri Lanka at 3/50 by the 9th over was looking down the barrel. All the while Gunatilaka was watching it from the other end. He was impressive playing few gorgeous strokes. Him and Dinesh resurrected the ruins producing a 100 runs 4th wicket partnership Jason Mohammad deprived Gunatilaka a well-deserved century. Jason had him clean bowled for a run a ball 96. Chandimal stayed till the team crossed 200 getting out Jason Mohammad again after scoring 71. Of the rest only Hasaranga da Silva could play an innings of substance (47). West Indies could finally manage a competitive score of 273/8 in 50 overs. Jason Mohammad taking 3/47 was the peak of the Caribbean attack apart from the early damage done by Josef (2/ 42).

West Indies respond was ably piloted by two quality batsmen Lewis and Hope matching strokes for strokes brining into memory great old days of Greenidge and Haynes. They made look batting so easy. There was Caribbean grace and elegance all the way. Sri Lanka after hard toil managed removing both but not till the 1st wicket partnership produced 192. Elvin Lewis was removed by Sandakan after scoring 104. Perera removed Hope soon for 84. Neither Bravo nor Pollard could do much as Sri Lankans kept making inroads with disciplined bowling at that stage. Only Pooran playing a controlled unbeaten innings of 35 kept the rocking boat steady as West Indies hopped across Lankan barrier with only two balls to spare. West Indies won by 5 wickets and wrapped up the three matches ODI series 2-0. The possibility of brown wash is looming. West Indies had already won the T20 series 2-1.  In the end the Caribbean surge triggered by Lewis and Hope swept away Lankan venture for a comeback. They went so near but victory remained out of sight. Still visitors can take so many positives from the match. But in the end West Indies started getting into winning habits. 

BDST: 1507 HRS, MAR 13, 2021
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