Hasaranga powers Sri Lanka to 274-6 against Windies
Wanindu Hasaranga further enhanced his all-round value with a blistering unbeaten 80, lifting Sri Lanka to another competitive total of 274 for six batting first against the West Indies in the third and final one-day international in Antigua on Sunday.
Two days after blazing an unbeaten 47 in what ultimately proved to be a losing effort for the tourists, Hasaranga featured in an unbroken seventh-wicket stand of 123 with Ashen Bandara, who was on 55 at the non-striker's end as the rampant Hasaranga belted three fours and a six off former West Indies captain Jason Holder in the final over of the innings.
Their partnership is a record for the seventh wicket for Sri Lanka against the Caribbean side while Hasaranga's individual score, which came off 60 deliveries and featured seven fours and three sixes, is a record for a Sri Lankan batting at number eight in ODIs.
Hasaranga's innings at the Sir Vivian Richards Stadium was all the more remarkable in that he was hobbled for much of it by a left leg injury while is likely to impact his effectiveness as a bowler.
West Indies were in complete control of the match before the pair came together in the 32nd over as the visitors' middle-order yet again failed to capitalise on a decent platform.
Danushka Gunathilaka and captain Dimuth Karunaratne put on 68 at the top of the order after they were put in to bat by Windies captain Kieron Pollard.
However, Gunathilaka's demise to pacer Alzarri Joseph for 36 triggered a gradual decline to 151 for six with left-arm spinner Akeal Hosein taking three for 33, while Jason Mohammed snared his sixth wicket of the series by bowling Karunaratne for 31.
Seeking to avoid a 3-0 sweep in the series, Sri Lanka made three changes to the team which lost a tense encounter two days earlier, with batsman Dasun Shanaka and seamers Suranga Lakmal and Asitha Fernando replacing Oshada Fernando, Nuwan Pradeep and Dushmantha Chameera.
West Indies gave a debut to seamer Anderson Phillip and the expense of Romario Shepherd.