West Indies relish their maiden series triumph in three-and-a-half years with a tame draw
ICC World Test Championship
Roston Chase and the West Indies finally achieved their maiden series victory since Feb 2023 and a first versus a top-eight ranked side, five years ago in March 2021 when they defeated England 1-0. Their coach Daren Sammy was delighted as West Indies emerged victorious against Sri Lanka in a Test series for the first time in 23 years. The home side won the opening game by a gap of an innings and 217 runs, their fifth successful match against the island nation in 25 attempts and the only one with an innings margin which was followed by a high-scoring draw on the same ground.
Sri Lanka, who were playing Test cricket after June 2025 began with a rusty display in the previous Test although they improved swiftly especially with the bat as they wrapped up the Caribbean tour on a sour note post a successful beginning. They won the ODIs 1-0 but lost 1-2 in the T20Is and 0-1 in the two-match face-off. However, the visitors did show some heart as they tried to push for a win on an interesting final day of the tour and will enter the India Tests with renewed confidence in their batting line-up.
Batters grab their chance in a high-scoring draw
Both the fixtures were played at the Sir Vivian Richards Stadium, Antigua. The pitch in the second match was expected to favor the pace bowlers again with a tinge of green left at the start. Sri Lanka were dealt a blow when four players in the squad were ruled out due to either illness or injury as they won the toss chose to bat, a decision which Jayden Seales termed as a brave one. The Lankan Lions welcomed back the 32-year old Lahiru Udara who replaced Pathum Nissanka at the top. Prabhat Jayasuriya came in for the injured Lahiru Kumara and Isitha Wijesundera was handed a debut cap for Kasun Rajitha, dropped due to a wicket-less outing in the initial game.
Jayden Seales and Shamar Joseph took the new ball for West Indies in absence of Kemar Roach who missed the contest due to a hamstring injury. Nishan Madushka and Dinesh Chandimal gifted their wickets early to Shamar as they played a couple of loose shots. Madushka offered a simple catch to Brandon King at point as he pushed a simple delivery away from his body and Chandimal flicked a harmless ball to square leg where King completed the catch. Udara and Kamindu Mendis got their eye in and kicked up the scoring rate thanks to some wayward bowling by the hosts. There was a chance missed early in the first session when an outside edge went through the slips with no one going for the catch. Both the batters put on 225 runs at over 5 per over but Hope's excellent glovework saw Mendis stumped on 84. Greaves bowled one down leg and Mendis slipped out of the crease trying to flick the ball as Hope, who was standing close to the stumps removed the bails quickly.
Udara, who was playing his third Test match cashed in on a helpful pitch and poor bowling to score his maiden hundred and converted it into 188 before he got out playing a hook shot to Alzarri Joseph. Someone who has more than 8500 runs in First Class cricket, Udara should get an extended run at the top for Sri Lanka who are looking for a reliable opener since the retirement of Dimuth Karunaratne. West Indies tried to sneak their way back into the contest with a couple of quick wickets but Kusal Mendis and all-rounder Sonal Dinusha added another a 143-run partnership to hand their side the advantage. Sri Lanka were aiming for a massive first innings total and they declared with 549 on the board.
West Indies' openers began with a few boundaries however as time passed, their batters decided to go on the defensive trying to take out time from the game and push for a draw. With this World Test Championship already out of their grasp and the team leading by a margin of 1-0, a series triumph was the only incentive for the hosts. Kavem Hodge scored a puzzling 31 off 139 balls however, it was the 242-run partnership between Shai Hope and Justin Greaves which helped West Indies limit the first innings lead to 50. West Indies' defensive approach combined with a general slow over-rate meant there was not enough time for a result. Sri Lanka tried hard in the second assay scoring 251 in 49 overs yet the surface refused to break up. There were a few brief rain-breaks on the final day as both John Campbell and Brandon Kings scored unbeaten half-centuries in pursuit of the target. Both the groups shook hands with more than 20 overs remaining in the final day gifting Roston Chase and Daren Sammy their maiden series win and a first for the hosts over Sri Lanka since 2003 when the won 1-0 at home. There were six centuries in the two games with four of them over 150. 42.85 was the batting average in this two-match Test encounter, fourth-highest for a series in West Indies and the highest since 2009.
Sonal Dinusha, a workhorse early in his Test career
The 25-year old spin-bowling all-rounder from Colombo, Sonal Dinusha made his debut for the national side last year in his home versus Bangladesh. Replacing the retired veteran Angelo Mathews, Dinusha's only major act on his debut was a first innings three-fer with the ball as Sri Lanka won the game by an innings margin. Dinusha continued his excellent red-ball form in the domestic tournaments and was part of the playing XI in both the games here. There are players blessed with talent and then there are some who work hard, putting their bodies on the line for their team. Dinusha seems like a mix of both. A talented batter, Dinusha can prove to be a toiler with the ball if required.
Dinusha caught the eye with both his skills on this tour. Pleasing to the eye when batting, Dinusha's 43 in the previous Test were crucial in a tricky circumstance when the visitors needed a partnership of sorts. It was however his applaudable display with the ball on a helpless wicket which caught my eye!! Speedster Lahiru Kumara was injured after bowling just over in the innings meaning Sri Lanka were only left with three seamers with similar skill-sets. Dinusha who was supposed to play a brief role with the ball ended with 56 overs under his belt.
He stuck early in his second over, forcing a mistake from Campbell who was batting comfortably to give his side a significant breakthrough. However, a colossal collaboration from Amir Jangoo and skipper Roston Chase compelled Sri Lanka to stay on the field for close to 161 overs. Dinusha's 2-234 became the second-most expensive figures for a Lankan bowler in the red-ball format since Rangana Herath's 3-240. He couldn't have done much on a pitch which had nothing for the spinners but Sonal Dinusha answered his captain's call to put in a gigantic effort in what was otherwise an underwhelming display from the Asian country.
Dinusha came to the crease when Sri Lanka lost half their side with the score reading 333 in the second Test. Knowing the team was targeting a huge first innings total, Mendis and Dinusha had their task cut out on the morning of Day 2. On a balanced wicket, both of them started slowly in an attempt to build a long partnership. West Indies took the new ball at the end of 80 overs persisting with their erratic ways. Dinusha stayed on top of the ball, kept his head straight and fought his way until he fell to a innocuous Kavem Hodge delivery 8 short of a deserving maiden Test century. Prabhat Jayasuriya's presence meant Dinusha was required for only 12 overs with the ball in the match and he proved his worth once more, removing a stubborn Shai Hope from with a straighter one. Sonal Dinusha has attracted a few headlines quite early as a red-ball International cricketer, looking primed for an extended run in this format.
Hope returns with a bang, Greaves & Udara cash in with daddy hundreds
It was a series loved by batters on both sides. Dhananjaya de Silva for the visitors, Amir Jangoo and Roston Chase for the hosts scored heavily in the starting fixture. It was the turn of Lahiru Udara followed by both the returning Shai Hope and all-rounder Justin Greaves to add a three-figure score in the last meeting. West Indies welcomed back Hope from an injury leaving out Joshua Da Silva as a like-to-like replacement. Udara came in for the injured Nissanka.
Udara grabbed his chance on a batting paradise adding his name to the list of replacements who have returned to the playing XI with a three-figure scores in recent times. A veteran in the Sri Lankan domestic circuit, Udara was on the bench when his teammates get out playing loose shots in the opening game as they surrendered to an innings defeat. Pathum Nissanka's untimely wrist injury meant Udara was called in for his career's third Test. He got a feel of the conditions early and played within himself until the new-ball bowlers were rested. Some awry bowling, specifically from Anderson Philip allowed Udara to open up his hands and get a few boundaries as he raced to his fifty in the first session. He did offer a chance on 56 but none of the slip fielders went for the catch. Mendis and Udara suddenly pressed on the accelerator post the first session scoring boundaries relatively easily. The hosts were not at their best either and Udara knew it was his chance to go big. His 188 became the third-highest maiden century for Sri Lanka in Test cricket.
Shai Hope had missed the first game due to shoulder strain but was passed fit for the second coming in for Joshua Da Silva. Hope took the wicket-keeping role and batted at No. 5 one spot behind Amir Jangoo, his replacement from the opening clash. Post a sedate initiation, Sri Lanka removed three wickets in quick succession as the score became 144-4. Hope and Greaves who combined for a match-saving partnership for their team at Christchurch, added their second century partnership as a pair. Greaves and Hope's 242 was West Indies' sixth-highest for the fifth wicket in Tests.
Hope burst onto the scene making his debut at International cricket in a home Test with England. A technically sound player, Hope was expected to prosper for West Indies in all formats. It took him nine Tests to register his maiden fifty which was followed by twin hundreds in a remarkable match-winning performance against England at Leeds three Tests later. He could not score another century for the next four years when he was finally dropped from the red-ball squad after being in-and-out with an underwhelming average of 25 in 38 Tests. Chase and Sammy gave an SOS call to Hope when they were given the charge of this red-ball group and he instantly delivered, doubling his hundreds tally in space of two back-to-back matches. Playing in his only red-ball game this year, Hope recorded his fifth Test hundred on a placid track lifting West Indies from a delicate position. Hope batted defensively giving himself ample time as he hit his first boundary in 35 balls. Playing more on the leg-side, Hope's ran hard between the wickets and hit a few pleasing shots as he always does. Translating his white-ball from into red-ball cricket, Hope has at last started fulfilling his legacy as years of experience at the International stage has taught him how to build a long innings and bat with high temperament. West Indies will hope this new lease of form continues for their best all-format batter as they look to carry forward this winning mentality.
Another superb cricketer who has also made an impact for his side in recent times is Justin Greaves. Greaves made his debut two years ago in Australia and got to his maiden century two matches later versus Bangladesh. A dull period of low scores followed as Greaves broke the streak after seventeen innings of non-fifty scores in the second innings of the Delhi Test. His rearguard 202* in the next Test with New Zealand helped West Indies secure an unlikely draw where Greaves and Hope had added another century partnership for the fifth-wicket. Greaves missed out with the bat in the first Test but his three-wicket spell was crucial as they limited Sri Lanka to an under-par score. He broke the Udara-Kamindu partnership with the ball in this fixture as well though his major act was yet to follow. Batting at his preferred sixth position, Greaves became the fourth player in this series with a 150+ score. The surface on offer was perfect for a Greaves special who has made it a habit to convert his starts into useful hundreds for the team. Both batters communicated clearly during the time they spend on the crease and were clear on the plans employed by the visitors which helped them bat without any difficulty. Once Hope got out, Greaves tried to play out as much deliveries as he could and batted admirably with the tail. His 180 with the bat and contributions with the ball earned him both Player of the Match and Player of the Series award. An upgrade in terms of batting and a decent all-round option with the ball, Greaves has proven to be an ideal replacement of Jason Holder in this line-up.
Sri Lanka take home a few positives
Playing red-ball cricket after an year, Sri Lanka were found wanting in the opening game but came back strongly in the second. Captain de Silva's counter-attacking century was overshadowed by a Jangoo-Chase epic and the visiting team went back to the drawing board. They were hit by a number of absentees due to various reasons but the eleven that took the field in the last Test did their job extremely well. Dhananjaya's hundred from the starting Test, Sonal Dinusha's all-round performance, Asitha Fernando and Milan Rathanayake's fifers, Udara's maiden Test century and the batter's response to try and set-up a victory were the highlights for the island nation in these two Tests.
Asitha Fernando has been the fast-bowling spearhead for Sri Lanka in the past few years. Although not very tall, Asitha possesses a heavy short ball and magnificent control with the new ball. He completed career's third five-wicket haul and bowled 40 overs in the first innings, becoming the seventh fast bowler for his country to bowl a minimum of 40 overs in a single Test innings (Chaminda Vaas did this eight times). Fernando was disciplined in the opening game and persisted with the same during his seven-over starting spell. A few plays and missed eventually resulted in Brandon King edging one to Kamindu at second slip. He became a point of difference yet again when Campbell threw away his wicket disappointingly at 72.
Asitha's best spell came when the captain decided to go for a short-ball plan in the afternoon session of Day 4. Bowling with high intensity, he caused a lot of problems for the opponents. At one point, Roston Chase denied a single as he did not want to face the short-ball barrage from the right-arm pacer after being hit a couple of times on his fingers. Asitha got him to edge a short one to the keeper from outside off stump and Anderson Philip gloved one to Kusal Mendis in Asitha's next over. He completed a deserved five-wicket haul when Shamar Joseph slashed one to deep third man. Asitha Fernando's work ethic makes him one of the most valuable players for Sri Lanka in this format and with a busy period ahead, they will need to manage his fitness without exposing him to such long spells yet again.
Credit should also go their batting line-up who played with a high intent in both innings racing against time to increase their chances of equaling the final scoreline. Kamindu Mendis played with a Strike Rate of more than 70 in both innings, so did Lahiru Udara in the first. Sri Lanka scored 251 in just 49 overs going with a safe target of 302. The pitch however, refused to break up. There was not enough for the fast bowlers but even the cracks did not open up significantly until the last day. A rough was created outside leg stump of the right handers and Prabhat Jayasuriya could not exploit the help from that angle. Although the final result for the second game was a draw, Sri Lanka can keep their heads high with this performance especially in the batting department. The middle-order looks stacked and they have created some options for the top-order too. Talented batters like Ashen Bandara, Pasindu Sooriyabandara, Pavan Rathnayake and Sachin Arachchinge are waiting in the wings in case they need a replacement. They should now look at unearthing a few speedsters who can touch the 140-145 kmph speeds which can add a much-needed variety to their bowling attack. Isitha Wijesundera did not pick up a wicket on his debut but looks like a promising player who should be groomed with more chances.
West Indies revel in a long-awaited series conquest
Roston Chase achieved his first success as captain in 9 attempts when West Indies sealed an innings victory in the opening match. He has now secured a maiden series win, doubling the joy for the Caribbean fans in the longest format. The last time they won a duel was against Zimbabwe in Feb 2023. Their previous win at home came versus Bangladesh in 2022. It was moment to celebrate for the side who have been troubled by mounting losses in recent times. Their record in the World Test Championship has been dreadful from the beginning but this success should act as a catalyst going forward.
The blueprint for this victory was laid by their batters who have improved leaps and bounds in the past three tours. Daddy hundreds have become a norm and almost everyone has touched the three-figure mark in the past six Tests. Their batters averaged 64.94, second-highest ever in a Test series for West Indies with four hundreds, again joint-second highest for them in a two-match series. Their pace bowling has carried the team for long and now the batters have emerged to share the burden. This win has laid the foundation of a fresh start in Tests and they would like to seize this momentum with an upcoming two-match clash versus Pakistan in Trinidad.
The West Indies Cricket Board shortened their four-day Championship this year with 6 contestants playing only a handful of three Group matches as opposed to 8 participants competing for the title with seven games amongst themselves. They should think about the long-term impact of this disappointing change in structure. Upcoming talents like Kevin Wickham, Kevlon Anderson, Shamar Springer, Joshua Bishop should be exposed to more and more red-ball experience in the domestic circuit so they are ready to face the challenges of International cricket once a chance arrives. Examples like Daryl Mitchell, Lahiru Udara, Scott Boland who have gone through a long domestic grind to reach the International stage should be the case-studies and a competitive structure should be built with a long calendar for red-ball cricket. The WICB should use this win as a catalyst towards a sustainable plan balancing both long and short form cricket rather than giving importance to only T20 and the attached funds.
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