Sri Lanka Defeats West Indies by 41 Runs in Sabina Park ODI Opener Despite Shai Hope’s Gritty Fifty

By Delwin Neblett | HGP Nightly News Sports Desk|

KINGSTON, JAMAICA — Action officially commenced in the three-match One Day International (ODI) series between the West Indies and Sri Lanka, with the visitors locking down a commanding 41-run victory at Sabina Park on Wednesday.

After being sent in to bat first, Sri Lanka posted a formidable total of 303 for 7 from their allotted 50 overs, anchored heavily by a well-played 79 from opening batsman Pathum Nissanka. The regional bowling unit found breakthroughs in pockets, as Matthew Forde, Roston Chase, and Jayden Seales each picked up two wickets apiece to restrict a larger total.

In response, the West Indies batting order struggled to maintain the required run-rate against a disciplined bowling attack and was eventually bowled out for 262 in 49.2 overs. Captain Shai Hope led the resistance with a gritty 56, but his dismissal triggered a lower-order collapse. Sri Lanka’s Dushmantha Chameera was the pick of the bowlers, tearing through the hosts’ lineup to return decisive figures of 4 for 67. The regional side will look to level the score when match number two bowls off at Sabina Park on Saturday.

CRICKET: Rainy Dublin Outflow Forces “No Result” for West Indies Women vs. Pakistan

Over in Europe, the rain followed the regional side as action continued in the 2026 Evara Women’s T20 International Tri-Series at the Clontarf Cricket Club in Dublin on Wednesday.

The West Indies Women won the toss, elected to field, and immediately put Pakistan on the back foot. The Asian side was restricted to 111 for 7 after 16.5 overs before heavy downpours forced the players off the field.

Before the weather intervened permanently, stand-in Captain Chinelle Henry led from the front with an economical spell of 2 for 15. She was matched stride-for-stride by Guyana’s own Ashmini Munisar, who also picked up 2 for 15 to keep the Pakistan middle order in check. Unfortunately, the rain never relented, forcing match officials to declare the fixture a No Result.

FOOTBALL: Chase Academic Foundation Thrashes St. John’s 7-0 in Blue Waters U-15 Tournament

On the football pitch, future national stars put on an absolute clinic as action advanced in the Guyana Football Federation’s 2026 Blue Waters Shipping U-15 Girls National Secondary School Championship at the National Training Centre (NTC) in Providence on Wednesday.

The young women of Chase Academic Foundation turned their match against St. John’s College into a complete, one-sided affair, securing a massive 7–0 victory. The clinical offensive display was driven by a superb hat-trick from Captain Leandra Henritto and a brilliant double from Thea Rodrigues. Teammates Sabana Simon and Dianna Edward each found the back of the net with individual goals to seal the blowout win.

In regional junior boys’ action, the East Bank Football Association’s 2026 Youth Ensemble U-15 Championship also took over the Providence turf on Sunday, featuring a competitive clash between Herstelling Raiders FC and Circuitville Jaguars FC. The Herstelling Raiders locked down a comfortable 2–0 victory, thanks to a dynamic scoring tandem that saw Tyler Abrams and M. Fields each net a goal apiece.

BASKETBALL: Bishops’ High and Tutorial High Secure Key Wins at Cliff Anderson Sports Hall

School basketball returned with a bang as the Guyana Basketball Federation’s 2026 Regional Youth Basketball Tournament advanced with three high-intensity fixtures at the Cliff Anderson Sports Hall in Georgetown on Wednesday.

The Bishops’ High School opened the evening by fighting through a defensive gridlock to secure a hard-fought 35–30 victory over arch-rivals Saint Stanislaus College. Jonathan Nazier proved to be the difference-maker on the hardwood, dropping 13 points and snatching 3 rebounds to carry his team across the finish line.

The subsequent fixtures proved much more lopsided:

• Tutorial High School cruised to a dominant 38–19 victory over Marian Academy. Keion Lynch put on an all-around clinic for Tutorial, filling out the stat sheet with 15 points, 5 rebounds, and 5 steals.
• Queen’s College matched that dominant energy in the final game of the night, blowing past Brickdam Secondary with a comfortable 35–19 win. The QC charge was led by Deshawn Gurrick, who put up an impressive 13 points, 5 rebounds, and 4 steals to lock down the victory.