WI vs SL: 2nd ODI, Match Prediction - Who will win today’s match?

Sri Lanka need to shrug off the defeat in the first game quickly, and back themselves to find a formula to evade a loss at the earliest juncture in the three-match series.

Published - 12 Mar 2021, 10:35 IST | Updated - 12 Mar 2021, 10:35 IST

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A spectacular century from Shai Hope on Wednesday guided West Indies to a comprehensive victory over the visitors, Sri Lanka in the first ODI. With that, not only did West Indies halted a streak of six losses in the ODIs, running since early 2020, but they also pouched ten ODI Super League points, kicking off their proceedings for the 2023 ICC ODI World Cup.

Having restricted Sri Lanka to a modest 232, Evin Lewis’ uncharacteristic 90-ball 65 alongside Shai Hope’s 110 put West Indies on the course of a subtle victory. Problems, if any, were caused to some extent by Dushmantha Chameera, who picked two wickets in vain. A well-controlled 37 from Darren Bravo at number three meant that the hosts knocked down the target with eight wickets and three overs to spare.

On the other hand, Sri Lanka must be displeased by a collapse before which they seemed well under control. A smooth 105-run opening stand between Danushka Gunathilaka and Dimuth Karunaratne had made things merry for them, however, a controversial dismissal of the former inflicted a collapse and they were reduced to 151/5 from 105/1 between overs 20 and 25. With the series on the line, the Lankans need to shrug off the defeat in the first game quickly and back themselves to find a formula to evade a series-defeat at the earliest juncture.

Pitch and conditions

Antigua on Wednesday had ample in it for the pacers, while either side’s spinners struggled to find success on a track that had little for them. Of the 18 encounters at this venue, West Indies’ eight-wicket victory was the eighth instance of a chasing side winning a 50-overs contest.

Playing combinations for WI vs SL

West Indies

Predicted XI: Evin Lewis, Shai Hope (WK), Darren Bravo, Nicholas Pooran, Jason Mohammed, Kieron Pollard (C), Jason Holder, Fabian Allen, Romario Shepherd, Akeal Hosein, Alzarri Joseph

Sri Lanka

Predicted XI: Danushka Gunathilaka, Dimuth Karunaratne (C), Pathum Nissanka, Dinesh Chandimal (WK), Dhananjaya de Silva/Dasun Shanaka, Ashen Bandara, Kamindu Mendis, Wanindu Hasaranga, Dushmantha Chameera, Lakshan Sandakan, Nuwan Pradeep

Probable Top Performers for WI vs SL

Shai Hope – West Indies

The 133-ball 110 was Shai Hope’s 10th century in the ODI format. In a three-year period ranging from March 2018 to March 2021, no other player has scored runs than Hope. He has amassed 2,521 runs in 48 innings at 61.48 with nine centuries and 13 half-centuries.

Wanindu Hasaranga – Sri Lanka

Wanindu Hasaranga ended up as the leading wicket-taker in the recently-concluded T20I series, claiming eight wickets. More notably, against a daunting order of batsmen, Hasaranga controlled the flow of runs with admirable consistency. His figures in the series read 3/12, 3/17, and 2/13. In the previous fixture, though, he went wicket-less, he controlled the runs once again as he returned with figures of 10-1-26-0.