SL beat WI by 23 runs | Sri Lanka vs West Indies, Highlights And Cricket Score 39th ODI Match

So! A dead rubber ends in an interesting fashion. Neither side can qualify but at least both gave it their all. Tuesday, July 2, 2019 sees Bangladesh take on India at Edgbaston, Birmingham. Join us at 10.30 am local (0930 GMT). ADIOS! TAKE CARE!

Victorious Sri Lankan captain, Dimuth Karunaratne, says that these kinds of wins build a huge amount of confidence. Admits that in the earlier games, they put pressure on themselves and hence committed mistakes. In this one, he agrees that they played freely due to lack of pressure. Praises Avishka Fernando and wants his side to learn from him. Admits that the SA game was a must-win one but wants his side to play freely in the next game. On the bowling, Karunaratne says that the Lankans concentrated on keeping it tight, not conceding too many runs, which resulted in a couple of run outs. On Mathews bowling the 48th over, Dimuth says that he had to bowl 2 overs off the 5th bowler and was going to bowl one himself but says that Angelo Mathews himself came and said that he will bowl. On the question whether Angelo will bowl regularly, Karunaratne laughs it off, saying that he does not think Mathews will bowl much again.

West Indian skipper, Jason Holder, admits that the West Indies were slow off the blocks with both, bat and ball. Rues the fielding efforts throughout the tournament, letting key moments slip. Feels that 338 was about par on a wicket which was slow at times. Reckons that Pooran showed that if someone spent some time at the wicket, they could bat deep. On the Caribbeans doing well at the death with the ball, Holder praises his bowlers for coming back strongly. Tells that the team was backing itself when the Allen-Pooran stand was going on and is sad that they could not win. Agrees that this sort of play and this lot of youngsters are really promising and is happy with the attitude being shown. On their final game, Jason just wants a win through a complete performance.

AVISHKA FERNANDO HAS BEEN NAMED THE MAN OF THE MATCH. He has a special translator in Kumar Sangakkara. Avishka says that when he went in, he was happy that he did what was required. Is delighted with the way they bowled and fielded and his knock has come in a winning cause. He is very happy to get the opportunities and wants to focus on developing his game.

Earlier in the day, a masterful century from Avishka Fernando took Sri Lanka to 338, with decent knocks from Kusal Perera and Lahiru Thirimanne. This win takes the Lankans above Bangladesh to 6th in the points table, with 8 points. However, they cannot qualify even if they beat India on Saturday. Please stay tuned for the presentation.

Nicholas Pooran then took the mantle upon himself and with 31 needed from the last 3 overs, Karunartane had to decide whom should he turn to, to bowl 2 remaining overs of the fifth bowler. He went with his most experienced player - Angelo Mathews. The bloke, who had not bowled since December 2017, struck gold on his very first ball, getting Pooran dismissed and that nipped the game in the bud. Malinga was the chief destroyer, with 3 wickets while the others, though not wicket-taking, were decent.

Pooran was involved in three successive 50-run stands, first with Holder, then Brathwaite and finally Allen. Comically, all the partnerships ended in a run out. Of all the three stands, it was the Pooran-Allen stand which injected some momentum into the chase. The 83-run stand came in just 58 balls and at that time, it seemed like West Indies had a chance. But his run out once again changed the tempo.

For a match which ran close, Sri Lanka always looked comfortable while defending. The top four batsmen did not contribute much for the Windies and neither scored at the rate they were expected to. At 84/4, it looked like we were in for a quick finish but Nicholas Pooran stepped up.

A close finish in the end. The run chase looked dead and buried in the 35th over, when Carlos Brathwaite got out but Nicholas Pooran almost single-handedly took his side home. Have to feel for the youngster but had he received some more support from the other end, the West Indies might have ended on the right side.

Angelo Mathews to Sheldon Cottrell. SRI LANKA WIN BY 23 RUNS! Dot ball to end things. Back of a length ball on off, Cottrell punches it from the crease but finds extra cover. The fielder stops it at the edge of the circle and the batsmen decide not to cross. That will be it. A hard-fought victory for Sri Lanka.

Angelo Mathews to Shannon Gabriel. Goes hard at a fullish ball in the line of the stumps and gets it away towards mid on. They cross for a quick single.

Angelo Mathews to Sheldon Cottrell. Angles in a full ball on middle, Cottrell whips it down to wide long on for a single.

Angelo Mathews to Shannon Gabriel. Shortish and around leg, Shannon tries to pull but gets an inside edge down to fine leg for a run.

Angelo Mathews to Shannon Gabriel. Again a slower length ball outside off, Gabriel is early into the swing of his bat again and misses.

Angelo Mathews to Shannon Gabriel. Swing and a miss! Slower full ball around leg, following the batsman down, Shannon swings his bat and misses.

Lasith Malinga to Shannon Gabriel. A single to end! Full and on middle, this is hit down to long on for one. Another brilliant night for Malinga comes to an end. His figures are 10-0-55-3.

Lasith Malinga to Shannon Gabriel. A yorker but outside leg, Thomas swings but misses.

Lasith Malinga to Shannon Gabriel. Almost gets the last wicket. Malinga goes full and this one tails back in from off. Gabriel looks to drive but gets an insde edge onto the pads.

Lasith Malinga to Oshane Thomas. OUT! It is not close, it is out! West Indies are nine down now. Malinga gets his third. This lands around middle and leg. Thomas swings but misses. It goes off the pads towards third man. The batters run one as the bowler appeals. The umpire shakes his head. Kusal Perera suggests to review it and Dimuth Karunaratne obliges. Hawk Eye shows three reds and Thomas has to take the long walk back.

Lasith Malinga to Oshane Thomas. A low full toss outside off, Malinga swings but misses.

Lasith Malinga to Oshane Thomas. Fuller and on off, Thomas drives it to covers.