Kumara Sangakkara's sublime half-century and Thisara Perera's three-wicket haul helped Sri Lanka clinch a 26-run victory over West Indies.The Sri Lanka captain scored 75 off 105 balls while contributions from Mahela Jayawardene (44 off 51) and Angelo Mathews (36 not out off 22) powered the home team to 277 for nine despite Sulieman Benn's four-wicket burst.
In reply, the Windies faltered at the top by losing both openers for no score but Darren Bravo (79) and Ramnaresh Sarwan (51) set up the chase. Carlton Baugh's 54-ball 49 gave the tourists a glimmer of hope before they folded for 251.
Spinner Ajantha Mendis took four wickets and polished off the tail while Dilhara Fernando bagged two wickets and lent good support to his opening partner Perera.
Batting first after losing the toss, Sri Lanka were helped by handy contributions at the top from openers Tillakaratne Dilshan (30) and Upul Tharanga (39).
Sangakkara and Jayawardene consolidated further as Sri Lanka reached 150 by the 32nd over. Ravi Rampaul ended the 95-run stand by dismissing Jayawardene (44) and three quick wickets by Benn - Sangakkara (75), Thilan Samaraweera (four) and Chamara Kapugedara (17) - wrested the initiative back to the bowling side.
However, Mathews and Mendis added 33 in 19 balls for the ninth wicket as Sri Lanka reached 277 for nine in 50 overs.
In reply the Windies endured a disastrous start, losing both Chris Gayle and Adrian Barath for ducks. But Darren Bravo and Sarwan kept the chase on, adding 125 in the next 22.3 overs.
A double strike brought the Windies back in the game as Sarwan (51 off 66 balls) and new man Shivnarine Chanderpaul were dismissed within five balls by Rangana Herath and Mendis respectively.
The spinners kept up the pressure by choking boundaries, but half-brothers Darren and Dwayne Bravo tried to break the shackles by hitting a six each off consecutive Herath overs as the 150 came up in the 31st over.
A bowling change did the trick for the visitors as Perera caught Darren Bravo plumb in front when on 79 and claimed new man Darren Sammy four balls later to reduce the Windies to 159 for six.
Right-handed Dwayne Bravo then took over and in the company of wicketkeeper Baugh added 36 in seven overs to bring the target down to 84 from the last 11 overs.
But Fernando shifted the momentum by dismissing Dwayne Bravo (32 off 42 balls) as the mounting asking rate left Baugh with the task of pulling off an unlikely victory by shepherding the tail.
With 70 required off 48 balls, Baugh hit back-to-back boundaries off Mathews and together with Nikita Miller kept the Windies in the hunt for a while, but with boundaries drying up the task appeared increasingly difficult.
Miller was dismissed by Mendis with 42 required from 22, but Baugh and Benn added 15 in 14 balls to take them closer to the target.
However, with the wicketkeeper falling to Mendis in the 49th over with still 27 required off nine balls it was game over for the Windies.
Mendis finished with a four-wicket haul after removing Benn in the same over.