Sri Lanka vs West Indies, 2020: 3rd ODI – WI's 15-year wait continues, SL winning streak at home and more stats

Sri Lanka completed a whitewash in the 3-match ODI series against West Indies following a 6-run win during a thriller in the last match. Contributions from the top seven after electing to bat first helped Sri Lanka to post 307 in their 50 overs. West Indies’ top three Shai Hope (72), Sunil Ambris (60) and Nicolas Pooran (50) scored fifties to put their team on top in the chase.

Kieron Pollard scored a 50-ball 49 but was dismissed his team needed 54 more runs in 28 balls. Fabian Allen struck five boundaries during his 15-ball 37 to bring West Indies close to the target before getting out in the last over.

All the statistical highlights from Sri Lanka’s whitewash in the 3-match series against West Indies:

Contrasting streaks in Sri Lanka:

7 – This win was Sri Lanka’s 7th consecutive win in ODI format at home. They won the last match of the 2018 ODI series against England and whitewashed Bangladesh and West Indies in back to back 3-match ODI series. This is the longest ODI winning streak for Sri Lanka at home since nine successive wins between 2004 and 2005.

8 – The losing streak of West Indies in ODI cricket on Sri Lankan soil now extends to 8. West Indies have spent ten ODIs in Sri Lanka without a win since their 33-run win against the hosts in August 2005.

Sri Lanka’s big total without a big score:

55 – Kusal Mendis’ 55 is the highest individual score during Sri Lanka’s total of 307. This is the 3rd lowest “highest individual score” during a 300+ total in ODI cricket. West Indies made 310/6 in the 2015 World Cup match against Pakistan with the highest score of 51 while South Africa posted 311/9 against Sri Lanka during the 1997 Golden Jubilee Tournament where the top individual score was 54.

A record total for West Indies:

301/9 – West Indies’ total of 301/9 is now their first-ever 300+ total on Sri Lankan soil in ODI format. Their previous highest ODI total in Sri Lanka was 289/7 during the first match of this ODI series.

301/9 – West Indies’ total of 301/9 is the joint-highest total in a day-night chase in Sri Lanka. The home team were bowled out for 301 while chasing a target of 308 against India back in 1998.

Had West Indies won this match, it would have been the highest ever successful chase in a day-night ODI on Sri Lankan soil. The highest is 288 by Sri Lanka against Pakistan at this very venue in 2015.

Contributions galore for both sides:

37 – As many as ten players scored 37 or more runs during this match in Pallekele – 5 each from Sri Lanka and West Indies. 37 is now the highest score surpassed by 10 players in a match in ODI history. Previously, four ODI matches witnessed the score of 35 achieved by ten players.

Hat-trick fifties for Shai Hope:

2 – Shai Hope is only the 2nd player to score fifty-plus scores in all three games of a 3-match ODI series where his team got whitewashed. The other such instance was recorded by Shreyas Iyer during the recent ODI series against New Zealand.

Joseph equals Bishop:

5 – Number of 4-wicket hauls in ODI cricket for Alzarri Joseph thus far; the joint-most 4-fers in ODIs for West Indies before turning 24. Ian Bishop also had five 4-wicket hauls in this format before turning 24.

10 – Alzarri Joseph’s ten wickets are the joint 2nd most for West Indies in a 3-match ODI series. Vasbert Drakes claimed 12 wickets in the 2002 3-match ODI series in Bangladesh; the only instance of a West Indies bowler taking more than 10 wickets in a 3-match ODI series. Alzarri is also the first bowler to claim as many as 10 wickets during a 3-match ODI series on Sri Lankan soil.

One short of a rare record:

0 – Had Kieron Pollard scored one more run, it could have been the first-ever instance of the top four batters scoring 50+ runs in the same ODI match for West Indies. In fact, it could have been on the 2nd instance of top four scoring 50+ in an ODI run-chase. India recorded the first such instance during the 2006 Indore ODI against England.

A quick knock from Allen:

246.66 – Fabian Allen’s batting strike rate of 246.66 during his 15-ball 37 is now the 2nd highest for West Indies in an ODI inning of 15+ balls. Chris Gayle scored 77 off 27 balls during the last year’s Bridgetown ODI against England at an SR of 285.18.

Mathews joins a rare list with his 4-wicket haul:

3 – Angelo Mathews is now only the 3rd Sri Lankan with three or more centuries and three or more 4-wicket hauls in ODI format. As many as 22 players in Men’s ODI cricket including Mathews have at least three 100s and three 4-fers.