Rutherford scripts record fightback in second ODI against Sri Lanka

Sherfane Rutherford hit a sparkling half-century as West Indies posted 189 in the rain-curtailed second one-day international against Sri Lanka in Pallekele on Wednesday.

Rutherford (80) joined hands with tailender Gudakesh Motie (50 not out) to lift West Indies from a precarious 58-8 after they were put in to bat in overcast conditions.

The match has been reduced to 44-overs a side as the start was delayed by two hours because of rain.

Sri Lanka will need to score at 4.32 runs an over to clinch the three-match series after having won the opening game by five wickets.

Rutherford and Motie put on a record 119 runs for the ninth wicket, blunting the spin-heavy Sri Lankan attack.

This was the highest ninth-wicket partnership for West Indies in one-day internationals, eclipsing the 85-run stand between Yannic Cariah and Alzarri Joseph against New Zealand in Barbados in 2022.

Rutherford, dropped twice on 23 and 72, hit four sixes and seven fours in his 82-ball knock for his second successive half-century of the series and his career-best ODI innings.

Motie's maiden ODI half-century included six fours before the visitors were bowled out in the 36th over.

Legspinner Wanindu Hasaranga picked up 4-40 on a pitch that offered variable bounce and turn.

West Indies were off to a shaky start, losing opener Alick Athanaze in the third over to Maheesh Theekshana (3/25).

Medium pacer Asitha Fernando (3-35) then took a simple return catch to send back Brandon King (16), reducing West Indies to 17-2.

The West Indies were struck another blow when skipper Shai Hope (five) played on to his stumps off Fernando.

Keacy Carty was dismissed cheaply for six with Theekshana rattling his off-stump with a ball that turned in sharply.

Rutherford smashed a six and a boundary in the 13th over off Dunith Wellalage to break the shackles but wickets kept tumbling at the other end.

Sri Lanka made one change to the side that won the first one-dayer, bringing in Theekshana in place of Jeffrey Vandersay, while West Indies fielded an unchanged side.

Prolific opener Pathum Nissanka missed his second game in a row, having been sidelined with a quadriceps strain.

WEST INDIES: Shai Hope (capt), Alzarri Joseph, Alick Athanaze, Keacy Carty, Roston Chase, Brandon King, Gudakesh Motie, Sherfane Rutherford, Jayden Seales, Romario Shepherd, Hayden Walsh.

SRI LANKA: Avishka Fernando, Nishan Madushka, Kusal Mendis, Sadeera Samarawickrama, Charith Asalanka (capt), Kamindu Mendis, Janith Liyanage, Dunith Wellalage, Wanindu Hasaranga, Maheesh Theekshana, Asitha Fernando.