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Sri Lanka Clinch ODI Series Against West Indies with a Game to Spare

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Sri Lanka secured a convincing 2-0 series victory against the West Indies in the second ODI at Pallekele, clinching the three-match series with one game left. Skipper Charith Asalanka led the charge with an unbeaten 62*, guiding Sri Lanka to a five-wicket win in a rain-shortened match, with 44 balls to spare.

Match Overview

  • Sri Lanka: 190/5 in 36.4 overs
  • West Indies: 189 all out in 36 overs
  • Result: Sri Lanka won by 5 wickets (DLS Method)

The match, initially set for 50 overs per side, was reduced to 44 overs due to rain. West Indies, sent in to bat, struggled early, losing wickets rapidly to be 58 for 8, before a resilient stand between Shefarne Rutherford (80) and Gudakesh Motie (50*) revived their innings.

West Indies Innings

  • Shefarne Rutherford: 80 (98 balls, 8 fours, 2 sixes)
  • Gudakesh Motie: 50* (67 balls, 4 fours)
  • Ninth-wicket partnership: 119 runs
  • Best Sri Lankan bowler: Dushmantha Chameera – 3/25 in 7 overs
  • Notable bowling performances: Maheesh Theekshana and Dilshan Madushanka picked up two wickets each as Sri Lanka dismantled the Windies’ top order. West Indies were bowled out for 189 in 36 overs.

Despite the ninth-wicket partnership, the total was below par, as Sri Lankan bowlers dominated the early stages, exploiting the seam-friendly conditions in Pallekele.

Sri Lanka’s Chase

Sri Lanka’s chase wasn’t smooth, as they lost opener Avishka Fernando early for 12, followed by Kusal Mendis (14) as Alzarri Joseph and Romario Shepherd kept the pressure on.

  • Nishan Madushka: 38 (53 balls, 3 fours)
  • Sadeera Samarawickrama: 38 (47 balls, 4 fours)
  • Third-wicket partnership: 62 runs
  • Charith Asalanka: 62* (48 balls, 5 fours, 1 six)
  • Janith Liyanage: 24 (28 balls)

After a 62-run stand between Madushka and Samarawickrama, Asalanka steadied the innings and built another key partnership with Janith Liyanage (24) to ensure Sri Lanka crossed the target comfortably.

Asalanka’s form continues to impress as he followed up his 77 in the first ODI with a match-winning knock in the second.

Key Statistics:

  1. Charith Asalanka’s Series Performance: 139 runs in 2 ODIs, averaging 139.00 with a strike rate of 92.66.
  2. Sri Lanka Bowling Attack: Chameera has taken 5 wickets in 2 matches, averaging 12.80 with an economy rate of 4.71.
  3. Shefarne Rutherford’s Impact: The top scorer for the West Indies with 121 runs in 2 innings, averaging 60.50.
  4. Ninth-Wicket Partnership Record: The 119-run stand between Rutherford and Motie is one of the highest ninth-wicket partnerships for the West Indies in ODIs.

Conclusion

With this win, Sri Lanka sealed the ODI series 2-0, leaving the third and final game as a formality. The team’s dominance, particularly with both ball and bat in the middle overs, highlights their improving performance heading into future challenges. The West Indies, meanwhile, will look to salvage some pride in the final game after back-to-back losses.

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Sri Lanka Dominates Saudi Arabia in Junior Davis Cup Qualifying!

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In the ongoing Junior Davis Cup Tennis Qualifying Tournament currently being held in Sri Lanka, Sri Lanka had a great weekend by defeating Saudi Arabia 3-0.

The team showed their dominance by winning both singles matches and then winning both doubles matches with comfortable margins.

Sri Lanka won the first singles match when Ashlin de Silva beat Mahdi Al Ibrahim 6-2, 7-5.

In the second singles match, Mayuran Kubern came back after losing the first set to defeat Ahmed Baha Sarouji 3-6, 6-4, 7-5.

Sri Lanka then continued their momentum into the doubles matches where Mayuran Kubern and Ashlin de Silva defeated the Saudi pair 3-6, 6-4, 7-5.

In the other doubles match, the Sri Lankan duo was ahead in the second set 4-6 when the Saudi pair of Mahdi Al Ibrahim and Souhail ElFarouki retired from the match.

With this comprehensive win, Sri Lanka is now in a very strong position within the tournament.

The team will have a day off on Monday and is scheduled to play in the Championship on Thursday.

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Nuwan Thushara Set to Miss IPL 2026 After SLC NOC Refusal

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Nuwan Thushara is set to miss the upcoming IPL 2026 season in a significant setback for Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB), after Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) declined to issue him a No Objection Certificate (NOC).

The decision comes following SLC’s latest policy requiring all centrally contracted players to meet strict fitness standards before being cleared for overseas franchise leagues. Thushara reportedly failed to reach the required fitness benchmarks, leading to uncertainty over his participation and eventual exclusion.

RCB had secured the services of the Sri Lankan pacer for approximately INR 1.6 crore, viewing him as a valuable addition to their pace attack. However, his absence could now force the franchise to rethink their squad composition ahead of the tournament.

Interestingly, reports indicate that Thushara is not carrying any injury and remains available to bowl. Despite this, concerns over his overall fitness levels falling short of SLC’s criteria have ultimately ruled him out of the competition.

During his stint with RCB, Thushara featured in just one match, largely serving as a backup option. He made a notable impact in that appearance, returning figures of 1 for 26 with an impressive economy rate of 6.50, showcasing his potential when called upon.

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Sri Lanka Set for December White-Ball Tour of India

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Sri Lanka will tour India in December 2026 for an exciting white-ball series featuring three ODIs and three T20Is. The tour promises competitive cricket action across multiple iconic venues, giving fans across the country a chance to witness the matches live.

The ODI series will begin on December 13 in Delhi, followed by the second match in Bengaluru on December 16. The third and final ODI will be played in Ahmedabad on December 19.
The T20I series will kick off on December 22 in Rajkot. The action will then move to Cuttack for the second T20I on December 24, before concluding in Pune on December 27.

ODI Series
•⁠ ⁠13 Dec – 1st ODI – Delhi
•⁠ ⁠16 Dec – 2nd ODI – Bengaluru
•⁠ ⁠19 Dec – 3rd ODI – Ahmedabad
T20I Series
•⁠ ⁠22 Dec – 1st T20I – Rajkot
•⁠ ⁠24 Dec – 2nd T20I – Cuttack
•⁠ ⁠27 Dec – 3rd T20I – Pune

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