By Arjun 
Persistent rain forced the third and final ODI in Kingston to be abandoned without a ball bowled, giving Sri Lanka their first ODI series success over West Indies. The washout meant the visitors won the series 1-0 after their comprehensive 41-run victory in the first match.
The weather had the final say at Sabina Park for the second match in succession. Match officials carried out a number of inspections during the day in a bid to salvage a rain-affected competition. But after discussions with groundstaff and curators, it became obvious that outfield conditions would not be suitable for even a 20-over game to start within the official cut-off point.
The end result was nonetheless somewhat remarkable for Sri Lanka, as the absence of cricket would have come as a disappointment to players and supporters alike. West Indies (v South Africa, 16–20 Feb 2024)Their first ODI series win in the Caribbean for exactly 23 years The win also gave a good start for new head coach Gary Kirsten and ODI captain Kusal Mendis.
However, speaking about the result, Mendis expressed content with how they performed as a team, especially in the first game where Sri Lanka dominated with bat, ball and field. He further emphasized it was key to get some rhythm going into next year’s ICC Cricket World Cup, with full faith in the coaching staff and praise for the bowling attack.
The last thing the abandoned fixtures have brought for West Indies is frustration and missed opportunities. Hosts lost their first home ODI series in three years after being beaten in the first ODI In fact, the main loss were not even points on the PWC directly – although they are necessary for more than two years to fight at least ICC ranking points important to qualify directly for the 2027 World Cup. They are currently ranked 10th on the ODI rankings and have hard series against New Zealand and India coming up as well.
Captain Shai Hope urged his side to put the disappointment behind them and learn how to improve in their adaptation against conditions. The focus will turn towards the three-match T20I series, which starts on June 11, where both teams will be looking to start with a clean slate and finish off their Caribbean tour on a high note.