Sri Lanka suffered its first Test series defeat to the West Indies in 23 years after the second Test ended in a draw in North Sound, Antigua, on Tuesday.
West Indies held a 1-0 series lead heading into the match, having recorded a comprehensive innings-and-217-run win in the first Test.
The West Indies’ last Test series win against Sri Lanka came in 2003, when they edged a home series 1-0 under the captaincy of Brian Lara.
Context
Following a record defeat in the first Test – their worst ever against the Caribbean team – Sri Lanka responded by scoring 549 for 9 declared in their first innings.
The total was built on the back of opener Lahiru Udara's magnificent 188, supported by 92 runs from Sonal Dinusha and 84 from Kamindu Mendis.
In response, West Indies' middle-order batsmen Justin Greaves and Shai Hope anchored the home team with centuries – scoring 180 and 112 respectively – before the side was bowled out for 499.
Fast-bowler Asitha Fernando was the pick of Sri Lanka's bowlers, claiming five wickets for 130 runs.
With a victory required to draw the series, Sri Lanka pushed the scoring rate in their second innings, moving at over five runs an over to declare on 251 for 9 soon after lunch on the fifth day.
This set the West Indies a target of 302 runs from a minimum of 61 overs.
The home team chose not to pursue the aggressive target, playing out the draw with openers John Campbell and Brandon King each scoring 51 as Sri Lanka's chances of forcing a win fizzled out.
The result marks the West Indies' first series win in the current World Test Championship (WTC) cycle, though they remain in eighth place out of nine teams and face an uphill battle to reach the final next year.
Sri Lanka currently sits in sixth place, with crucial series against India, Pakistan, New Zealand, and South Africa still to come in the ongoing WTC cycle.
Picture courtesy: ESPNCricinfo/AFP
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