Sri Lanka capitalised on rain-soaked conditions to defeat West Indies in the first ODI in Pallekele. Despite West Indies’ early success, wet balls hampered their bowling.
Wet Conditions Prove Costly for West Indies.
West Indies had a strong start in the first ODI against Sri Lanka in Pallekele. Having won the toss and batted first, they posted a competitive total.Â
However, the game took a turn after rain interrupted their innings in the 39th over.
The delay allowed Sri Lanka’s bowlers to operate in dry conditions, but when West Indies came to bowl, they faced wet and slippery balls, making it difficult to grip and control the deliveries.
Sri Lanka’s batters, led by Nishan
Madushka and Charith Asalanka, took full advantage of the situation. As the West Indies bowlers struggled with the damp ball, the Sri Lankan pair stitched together a 137-run partnership, which became the turning point of the game.Â
Despite West Indies’ attempts to have the ball replaced, they could not escape the disadvantage caused by the wet conditions.
Virat Kohli and Anushka Sharma Presented at the Krishna Das Kirtan Event in Mumbai
Madushka and Asalanka Anchor Sri Lanka’s Victory
Nishan Madushka, on his ODI debut, played a crucial knock of 69 from 54 balls. Together with Charith Asalanka, the duo rebuilt Sri Lanka’s innings after early setbacks, taking the score from a precarious 45 for 3 to a commanding position.
The wet conditions worked in their favour, as West Indies’ bowlers lost the grip needed for swing or spin.
Sri Lanka’s strategy to “drag the game” into the middle overs paid off as they patiently handled the West Indies’ bowling attack before accelerating in the second half of their innings.
With two more ODIs scheduled at the notoriously wet venue of Pallekele, West Indies will need to adapt better to the conditions if they hope to stay in the series.
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