Avishka Fernando celebrates after scoring his maiden ODI century
Image courtesy of: ESPNcricinfo
Sri Lanka batsman Avishka Fernando scored a career-best 104 to lead his side to a 23-run win over the West Indies in their World Cup match in Durham.
Being put in to bat first, Sri Lanka got off to a great start as captain Dimuth Karunaratne and Kusal Perera amassed a 93-run partnership, during which Perera brought up his fifty, before Karunaratne was caught behind off the bowling of West Indies skipper Jason Holder for 32.
Perera went on to make 64, which came off 51 balls and included eight boundaries, before he was run out.
Fernando and Kusal Mendis stabilised the innings with an 85-run partnership before Mendis was caught and bowed by Fabian Allen for 39.
Fernando and Angelo Mathews kept the runs flowing with a 58-run stand before Mathews was clean bowled by Holder for 26.
Fernando and Lahiru Thirimanne added 67 runs to the score, during which Fernando registered his hundred, before he was dismissed by Sheldon Cottrell for 104, which came off 103 balls and included nine boundaries and two sixes.
Despite Isuru Udana falling shortly after, Thirimanne’s unbeaten 45 helped Sri Lanka finish on 338/6.
Holder was the pick of the bowlers with two wickets, while Allen, Cottrell and Oshane Thomas chipped in with one wicket apiece.
Chasing 339 to win, the West Indies lost opener Sunil Ambris early on as he was caught behind off the bowling of Lasith Malinga for five runs.
Shai Hope also made five runs before he was cleaned up by Malinga.
Chris Gayle and Shimron Hetmyer steadied things with a 49-run partnership before Gayle was dismissed by Kasun Rajitha for 35.
Hetmyer went on to score 29 before he was run out by Dhananjaya de Silva.
Nicholas Pooran and Holder steadied the ship with a 61-run stand before Holder was removed by Jeffrey Vandersay for 26.
Pooran and Carlos Brathwaite kept the scoreboard ticking with a 54-run partnership before Brathwaite was run out by Udana for eight runs.
Pooran and Allen added 83 runs to the score, during which Allen recorded his fifty, before he was run out for a 32-ball 51, which included seven boundaries and a six.
Pooran went on to score a career-best 118, which came off 103 balls and included 11 boundaries and four sixes, before he was caught behind off the bowling of Mathews.
Nicholas Pooran’s maiden ODI hundred went in vain
Image courtesy of: ESPNcricinfo
Malinga then took out Thomas as the West Indies fell short of their target as they finished on 315/9.
Malinga was the most successful bowler with three wickets, while Rajitha, Vandersay and Mathews claimed one wicket each.
Fernando was named Man of the Match.