Sri Lanka v West Indies First ODI Tips: bets at 3/1, 5/1 and 9/1

Sri Lanka v West Indies
Sunday 20th October 10:00
TV: live on TNT Sports

Sri Lanka v West Indies First ODI team news

Pacer all-rounder Chamindu Wickramasinghe is in line for an ODI debut with Chamika Karunaratne not required. There is no room for Nuwan Thushara, either, as he is seen as a T20 player. Mahesha Pathirana is not included.

Instead the hosts return to tried and trusted Dilshan Madushanka, who has been one of their top performers in the last few years. Spin is also likely to be key with at least three from Dunith Wellalage, Wanindu Hasaranga, Jeffrey Vandersay and Maheesh Theekshana expected to play.

Possible Sri Lanka XI: Nissanka, Avishka, Kusal Mendis, Asalanka, Kamindu, Liyanage, Wellalage, Hasaranga, Wickramasinghe, Theekshana, Madushanka

West Indies reckoned that a 2-1 defeat in the T20s was a moral victory because of the turning tracks. We're not sure that's a great mindset for them going into what is a weaker format. Slow, tired pitches shouldn't have provided such a gulf given they are hardly alien back home.

Shai Hope is captain. For the record the big white-ball names are missing, not that it is surprising: Rovman Powell, Andre Russell, Akeal Hosein and Shimron Hetmyer. Alick Athanaza and Keacy Carty are the new order in terms of batting talent. Evin Lewis may miss out. Roston Chase will provide experience with bat and ball.

To that end West Indies may pick three spinners altogether with Hayden Walsh joining Gudakesh Motie.

Possible West indies XI: Athanaze, King, Carty, Hope, Chase, Rutherford, Shepherd, Motie, Alzarri, Forde, Walsh

Sri Lanka v West Indies First ODI pitch report

The teams have moved on to Pallekele where they are met with a 59% bias for the chaser under lights. There is a run rate of 5.7 in the last five years and in the last 12 first-innings more than 300 has been busted just four times. It would be wise not to expect a runfest, then. The first-innings 50-over line could be a short at around the 280 mark. However, it may pay to have a look and see. With two more games to come it is possible the surface gets worn and batting gets harder.

Sri Lanka v West Indies First ODI match prediction

Sri Lanka are short favourites at 1.594/7 with West Indies 2.9015/8. We hope for a close contest on a spin-heavy pitch to keep the big-priced alternative in the game.

It is far from a fanciful strategy. West Indies won one of the T20s and were in the game in the break in the decider. One suspects they need to bowl first - and do so tightly with their spinners to the fore - to get this down to a choice contest if one was looking for a first-innings trade.

They would then also have the chase bias in their favour with dew potentially weakening the home attack. it might be tighter than the odds suggest.

Sri Lanka v West Indies Third T20 player bets

The top-bat and -bowler markets are competitive for this one. Sri Lanka's most wickets market pitches Hasaranga versuus Madushanka, spin versus pace. Hasaranga has a win rate of 33.3% with Madushanka at 34.7%. Given that Madushanka is the bigger price of the two at 3/14.00 he gets the vote. For West indies it is Hope versus Carty for runs. Both win at 30%. Only Carty is value, however with Hope the right price at 23/103.30. Carty is too big at 5/16.00, particularly as he could open the batting. For the Lankans Janith Liyanaga has three wins in 12 so is underrated at the 9/110.00 mark.

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