An unbeaten century by Marlon Samuels went in vain as Sri Lanka defeated the West Indies by 19 runs on Saturday to sweep the three-match one-day international series 3-0.
Set a revised Duckworth-Lewis target of 190 off 36 overs after a rain interruption, the hosts were 180-5 from 32.3 overs when it started drizzling again and umpires decided to call off play with three overs remaining.
The in-form Kusal Perera gave the hosts a flying start, hitting a quickfire half-century off 47 balls, before useful knocks by the middle-order batsmen ensured a comfortable victory.
Photo: AP
The teams next play two Twenty20 games, with the first match scheduled for today.
Earlier, Samuels smashed an unbeaten 110 to guide the West Indies to a competitive 206-9.
Samuels, 34, anchored the innings with his 95-ball knock, hitting one six and 15 fours in the day-night game.
The visitors, who lost the first two one-day internationals, got off to a disastrous start after being put in to bat at the Pallekele Stadium.
Paceman Lasith Malinga (two for 43) tasted success in the first over, having opener Johnson Charles caught off the fourth ball by Tillakaratne Dilshan.
Andre Fletcher (6) was trapped leg before wicket by Suranga Lakmal, while Dilshan took another catch off Malinga to send back Jermaine Blackwood.
Denesh Ramdin lobbed a short ball from Dushmantha Chameera to wicketkeeper Perera, who lunged forward to complete a neat catch and leave the West Indies reeling at 18-4.
Samuels then rebuilt the innings almost single-handedly, reaching his second successive half-century and ninth one-day international century in the process.
Sri Lanka also swept the preceeding Test series 2-0.
BANGLADESH V ZIMBABWE
AP, DHAKA
Bangladesh defeated Zimbabwe by 145 runs in the first one-day international in Dhaka on Saturday to take an early lead in the three-match series.
Mushfiqur Rahim and Shakib Al Hasan were instrumental in Bangladesh’s comfortable victory.
Rahim’s 107 off 109 balls, including nine fours and a six, helped Bangladesh to 273-9 off 50 overs, after which Shakib ripped through the Zimbabwe batting lineup with a career-best five for 47.
Zimbabwe finished on 128 off 36.1 overs, with wicketkeeper Richmond Mutumbami unable to bat due to an ankle injury. Captain Elton Chigumbura was the highest scorer with 41, while Luke Jongwe added 39.
Zimbabwe won the toss and opted to field.
Liton Das was promoted to open for Bangladesh with Tamim Iqbal — his 13th opening partner — but was out without scoring after Jongwe ended his six-ball uncomfortable stay at the crease.
Mahmudullah (9) paid the price for his lack of footwork against fast bowler Tinashe Panyangara at 30-2.
Rahim was as usual street-smart, rotating the scoreboard with a series of singles. As his partnership with Tamim looked threatening, off spinner Sikandar Raza (two for 47) kept a delivery low to dismiss Tamim, who struck three fours and two sixes in his 40 runs off 68 balls.
Raza then dealt another blow, claiming Shakib Al Hasan (16), who was stumped, before Rahim and Sabbir Rahman (57) guided the innings with a 119-run, fifth-wicket partnership.
Chasing a difficult 274 to win, Zimbabwe openers Chamu Chibhabha and Jongwe played sensibly until Shakib dealt a double blow, dismissing Chibhabha (9) and Craig Ervine (2) to leave Zimbabwe at 48-2.
The situation worsened when paceman Al-Amin Hossain removed Jongwe on 39 with Zimbabwe 54-3.
That sparked a collapse, with only Chigumbura able to hold up one end and he was the last batsman out.
Bangladesh captain Mashrafe Mortaza complemented Shakib’s first one-day international five-for with two for 13.
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