SL beat WI by 1 wicket | Sri Lanka vs West Indies, Highlights And Cricket Score 1st ODI Match

Okay! A nerve-ending beginning to what can be promised to be a closely-fought series. West Indies started as favourites, piled on a big total but were poor with the ball, which allowed Sri Lanka to fight back, before a harakiri nearly saw the game slip away. How will the second ODI pan out? Join us on Wednesday, 26th February 2020, at 2.30 pm local (0900 GMT). ADIOS! TAKE CARE!

Victorious Sri Lankan captain, Dimuth Karunaratne accepts that there is plenty to learn from this match - especially batting in the middle overs and not throwing starts away. Is happy with his spinners in the middle overs but understands that leaking 90-odd runs in the last 10 overs is a concern, which needs to be worked out. On the run chase, Karunaratne says that both he and Avishka got a decent start but both got out after getting a half century. Hopes to capitalize in the next game, if the same situation arises. States that many players were happy to play an ODI. Thanks the crowd for turning in large numbers and expects a similar response in Hambantota.

West Indian skipper, Kieron Pollard, admits that it was a good game, since it went till the last wicket and the last over and credits the Lankans for the win. Agrees that they got a slow start with the bat but is happy with the acceleration towards the end. Praises Shai Hope for batting well, along with Roston Chase and Darren Bravo. But rues that the middle overs set them back, as they could not quite accelerate, in spite of the foundation laid, from where they could have got to 320-350. On having the guts to bowl the leg spinner Hayden Walsh when Thisara Perera was going well, Pollard says that he backed his leggie as Perera can hit you for runs but also give you his wicket. Overall, he laments the poor show with the ball, which had no discipline.

WANINDU HASARANGA HAS BEEN NAMED THE MAN OF THE MATCH for his batting cameo. Says that when he came out to bat, they needed 60-70 runs and he felt that if he could bat till the end, he could take the side home. Admits that he was under pressure but he believed that if he stayed at the crease for a while, it would get easier for him.

Earlier in the day, a Shai Hope century helped the Windies get to a commanding 289/7, thanks to cameos from Keemo Paul and Hayden Walsh as well. Both teams needed one set batsman to bat through, with new batters finding it difficult to score quickly. West Indies had Hope, Sri Lanka had no hope when Udana fell, but eventually, canny Hasaranga took them through. Also, Sri Lanka were very disciplined with the extras - just 4 wides and 1 bye. West Indies conceded 14 wides and 1 no ball. Please stay tuned for the presentation...

West Indies got a good total on the board but the bowling was very average. They let the openers off the hook with some very loose deliveries and no one actually looked like taking wickets. The Lankans were playing them with ease and it was when the soft dismissals started to happen, that the wickets' column started to get filled. Alzarri Joseph finished with a tally of 3 wickets while Keemo Paul bagged 2. But Sheldon Cottrell went for a shade too many and that perhaps, was the difference in the end. None of the other bowlers could exert any control.

Not a batting scorecard Sri Lanka would be proud of. Too many starts, too many soft dismissals. The openers got off to a terrific start, adding 111, only to throw it away. That opened the door for the Windies, who had been ordinary till then, to pick wickets at consistent levels. Batsmen came in, batsmen went out and the saga of rash cricket continued. Till Wanindu Hasaranga took it upon himself. Sri Lanka needed 28 from 27 balls when Isuru Udana became the 8th victim - but calm and cool Wanindu Hasaranga steered the ship home.

Phew. What a game. Right down to the wire. Sri Lanka have a new hero - Wanindu Hasaranga. A cameo of an unbeaten 42 from 39 balls, in a tensed situation, where Sri Lanka had nearly snatched defeat from the jaws of victory. A 1-0 series lead it is for the Lankans and this is now the HIGHEST SUCCESSFUL ODI RUN CHASE AT THE SSC.

Keemo Paul to Wanindu Hasaranga. NO BALL! That is the winning run! Does not matter where the ball has gone. It is a high full toss, a beamer, well above waist height, signalled a no ball and pulled over mid-wicket! No need to run because the target has been achieved! SRI LANKA WIN BY 1 WICKET AND 5 BALLS TO SPARE!

Keemo Paul to Lakshan Sandakan. OUT! RUN OUT! Boy, what a time to get a direct hit! A high full toss, around middle, Sandakan works it towards square leg and sets off for the targetted winning run. But Sunil Ambris coolly collects the ball, takes aim and fires a throw at the bowler's end. Scores a bull's eye! Sandakan is well short.

Sheldon Cottrell to Wanindu Hasaranga. A bouncer, on middle, Hasaranga ducks.

Sheldon Cottrell to Wanindu Hasaranga. FOUR! SCORES ARE LEVEL NOW! A low full toss, outside off, Hasaranga leans and drives it behind point. The ball races away! 1 needed from 7 balls...

Sheldon Cottrell to Lakshan Sandakan. A short ball, outside off, pulled down to fine leg for a single.

Sheldon Cottrell to Lakshan Sandakan. The batsman has played that off the front foot and into the ground.

Sheldon Cottrell to Lakshan Sandakan. WIDE. Down the leg side, pull shot missed.

Sheldon Cottrell to Wanindu Hasaranga. Full and outside off, driven down to long off for a single.

Sheldon Cottrell to Wanindu Hasaranga. NOT OUT. Poor fielding. Full and outside off, Hasaranga drives it past the man at cover. The fielder at sweeper takes ever so long to return the throw and the batsmen take the second on that. The throw is a weak one, albeit accurate and the bowler whips the bails off. Appeals and it is referred upstairs. No use. Replays show that Sandakan is well in. 8 needed from 11 balls now.

Keemo Paul to Lakshan Sandakan. Full and outside off, pushed straight to cover.

Keemo Paul to Lakshan Sandakan. SAFE. Heart-in-mouth moment for Hasaranga, Sri Lankan fans and even Niroshan Dickwella at the boundary. Outside off, Sandakan pushes it towards cover-point and straightaway yells NO. But Hasaranga comes charging in for the single and has to apply the brakes. He has to do a U-turn and puts in a full length dive. The fielder finds the stumps at the bowler's end with his hit and the appeal is referred upstairs. Replays show that the bat went up in the air but got back down just before the throw hit.

Keemo Paul to Lakshan Sandakan. WIDE! Pressure on the bowler. Loud cheer from the crowd. Full and down the leg side, flick shot missed.

Keemo Paul to Wanindu Hasaranga. Full on middle, sensibly pushed down to long on for a single.

Keemo Paul to Wanindu Hasaranga. WIDE. A short ball, outside off, Wanindu leaps and plays the upper cut but misses.

Keemo Paul to Wanindu Hasaranga. Full and outside off, driven straight to point. Three dots!

Keemo Paul to Wanindu Hasaranga. The batsman shows the full face of the bat and defends the ball off the back foot.

Keemo Paul to Wanindu Hasaranga. That has gone off the edge. It could have so easily gone to the fence. Third man is up and Paul bowls a full toss outside off. Hasaranga throws his bat at it but gets a thick outside edge. Luckily for the bowler, it goes on the bounce towards the keeper.