West Indies vs Sri Lanka Prediction & Match Preview – 2nd ODI, Kingston

West Indies go into the second ODI trailing 1–0 and needing a response at home. In the opener they were chasing 304 and were bowled out for 262, a 41-run defeat. Captain Shai Hope made 56 off 66 balls and Justin Greaves hit 45 off 38, while Roston Chase (33) and Gudakesh Motie (22) added useful runs, but the innings never gathered enough momentum.

With the ball, Matthew Forde, Jayden Seales and Chase took two wickets apiece, though Seales conceded 67 from his ten overs. Shamar Joseph, Alzarri Joseph and Motie all went without a wicket, so the hosts will want sharper work from both their pacers and their spinners.

Sri Lanka arrive in good heart after a series loss to England, having made 303/7 in the first game. Pathum Nissanka scored 79 off 103, captain Kusal Mendis struck 72 off 62, Charith Asalanka made 45 off 44 and Janith Liyanage hit 44 off 29. Dushmantha Chameera led the attack with 4 for 67, including Hope and Chase, and Maheesh Theekshana added two wickets. A well-rounded display like that makes Sri Lanka the side to beat.

Probable playing XI

Pitch report

Sabina Park is expected to offer a fair balance between bat and ball. The new ball usually gets pace and bounce, so seamers can be rewarded early, after which the surface settles and lets batters build partnerships. Spinners can come into play in the middle overs through variations of pace and occasional grip. Sides batting first normally look for 280–300, and anything beyond 320 is considered highly competitive.

Weather

Kingston is likely to be hot and humid around the 2:30 pm local start, with temperatures of roughly 30–33°C and a mix of sun and passing cloud. Brief afternoon showers or an isolated thunderstorm cannot be ruled out, which could bring DLS into play, while a light sea breeze may offer a little relief.

Expected scores

• 1st innings: 270–310
• 2nd innings: 260–290