Chanderpaul won the match in quite brilliant fashion

Shivnarine Chanderpaul hit a six off the last ball of the game to give West Indies a dramatic one-wicket win in the opening ODI against Sri Lanka.

Chasing 235-7, the hosts needed 10 runs off the last two balls from the experienced Chaminda Vaas.

Chanderpaul, who ended 62 not out, hit the penultimate ball for four and then belted a full toss over the boundary.

"There were a few heart failures but Shiv took it home there in the end," said Windies captain Chris Gayle.

Sri Lanka's total was built around a career-best 95 from Chamara Kapugedera at Queen's Park Oval in Port of Spain, Trinidad.

The tourists had been rocking at 49-5 after three early wickets for Dwayne Bravo, but Kapugedera put on 159 for the sixth wicket with Chamara Silva (67) to help Sri Lanka post a competitive total.

West Indies' reply began solidly as Gayle made a gritty 52 off 81 balls.

The opener shared partnerships of 53 with Devon Smith and 56 with Ramnaresh Sarwan to give his side the initiative at 109-1 in the 27th over.

But debutant spinner Ajantha Mendis and seamer Nuwan Kulasekara turned the match around, taking three wickets for one run.

Chanderpaul and Bravo (36) revived West Indies with a fifth-wicket stand of 59 off 61 balls but they entered the final over needing 13.

Vaas conceded just three runs from the first four balls, but then came Chanderpaul, who has just been named one of Wisden's five cricketers of the year.

He smacked a four past mid-off from the penultimate delivery before swinging a low full toss over mid-wicket, just clearing Sri Lanka captain Mahela Jayawardene on the rope, to send a crowd of 13,000 into a frenzy.