The Sri Lankan team succeeded yesterday in taking a 1-0 lead in the three-match ODI series by defeating the West Indies team by 41 runs in the first One Day International cricket match held at Sabina Park. Batting first, the Sri Lankan team scored a massive 303 runs for 7 wickets at the end of their allotted 50 overs, while in reply, the West Indies could only manage 262 runs before being all out with 4 balls remaining.

Kusal Mendis strengthened the Sri Lankan innings with a quickfire 72 runs off 62 balls, while Pathum Nissanka scored 79 runs. In bowling, while the spinners controlled the West Indies innings, the main fast bowler Dushmantha Chameera also skillfully used the reverse swing technique to take 4 wickets for 67 runs.

The West Indies captain, who won the toss, decided to bowl first, and their bowlers put immense pressure on the Sri Lankan openers, taking advantage of the pitch conditions. Jayden Seales dismissed Kamindu Mendis in the seventh over, and under this pressure, Sri Lanka could only score 32 runs during the first powerplay. However, Kusal Mendis, who came to the crease next, engaged in a rapid batting display, hitting four massive sixes in three overs off Gudakesh Motie. Specifically, in the 20th over, he managed to plunder 18 runs with two sixes and a four. Mendis completed his half-century in 42 balls and, when dismissed by a Matthew Ford delivery, had built a valuable 136-run partnership for the second wicket with Pathum Nissanka.

Although Pathum Nissanka's scoring rate was somewhat hampered after he was dropped by Keacy Carty on the very first ball he faced in his innings, he quickly ran between the wickets to complete his half-century in 71 balls. He had scored 79 runs when he was dismissed by a Roston Chase delivery. Subsequently, Charith Asalanka and Janith Liyanage joined the crease and accelerated the latter part of the Sri Lankan innings, building a 64-run partnership for the fifth wicket. Janith Liyanage remained unbeaten with 44 runs off 29 balls, while Charith Asalanka scored 45 runs off 44 balls. The West Indies bowlers were not very successful in the middle overs, demonstrating their bowling weaknesses by delivering 12 wide balls. Only Roston Chase, who took 2 wickets for 47 runs in 10 overs, and Matthew Ford, who took 2 wickets for 44 runs, showed some success.

Chasing a massive target of 304 runs, which could have set a new record at this stadium, the West Indies openers made a strong start, scoring 50 runs without losing any wickets in the first six overs. However, the control of the match shifted when Janith Liyanage ran out John Campbell. Maheesh Theekshana managed to dismiss the other opener, Justin Greaves, for 45 runs. Although captain Shai Hope tried to build the West Indies innings by scoring 56 runs off 66 balls, West Indies' hopes were dashed with Keacy Carty's dismissal from an excellent catch by Kamindu Mendis, and captain Hope's dismissal by a Dushmantha Chameera delivery that reduced his pace.

After losing 5 wickets for 167 runs, the required run rate for the West Indies team climbed to 7, and although the lower-order batsmen made some effort, it was not successful. Sri Lankan spinners Maheesh Theekshana took 2 wickets for 26 runs, and Wanindu Hasaranga took one wicket for 43 runs, putting immense pressure on the West Indies. In the 49th over of the West Indies innings, the match had to be briefly stopped due to bad light with 9 wickets down, but after the match resumed, Sri Lanka secured the victory by taking the final wicket.