All eyes will be on West Indies 37th Test captain, Kraigg Brathwaite who will be leading the home team in the first of two Tests matches against Sri Lanka starting on Sunday 21st March 2021 at the Sir Vivian Richards Cricket Ground in Antigua.
Brathwaite, a right-hand opening batsman, made his Test debut for the West Indies against Pakistan in 2011 and have since then played 66 Test matches, scored a total of 3876 Test runs in 126 innings at an average of 32.57, with his highest Test score being 212 against Bangladesh in 2014 at the Arnos Vale Grounds, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines.
The 28-year-old Brathwaite will be going into the series against Sri Lanka with confidence having recently led the West Indies to a 2-0 win over Bangladesh in Bangladesh. At stake is the Sobers – Tissera Trophy which Sri Lanka won in 2015 at home when Jason Holder was captain.
The last time West Indies defeated Sri Lanka in a series on Caribbean soil was in 2003, 1-0 in a two match series. Also note, the last time the two teams played each other in the Caribbean was in 2018 in a three match series. The West Indies 1, Sri Lanka 1, drawn game 1.
The full West Indies squad reads: Kraigg Brathwaite (captain); Jermaine Blackwood (vice-captain); Shai Hope, Kyle Mayers, Darren Bravo, Nkrumah Bonner, Joshua Da Silva, Rahkeem Cornwall, Jason Holder; Alzarri Joseph, Kemar Roach, Jomel Warrican and Shannon Gabriel.
The West Indies and Sri Lanka have played 20 Test matches between them dating back to1993 when they first played in Sri Lanka. In wins and losses, Sri Lanka leads the West Indies 9-4, with 7 drawn games.
Sri Lanka has toured the Caribbean on four previous occasions: 1997, 2003, 2007 and 2018. The West Indies has not lost a series to Sri Lanka in the Caribbean. In the nine matches played; the West Indies has won 4, loss 2 and drawn 3.
West Indies former fast bowler Courtney Walsh was captain in 1997 when Sri Lanka toured the Caribbean for the first time to play a two match Test series. In the 1st Test at St. John’s, Antigua – June 13th-15th, West Indies won by 6 wickets. Scores: Sri Lanka 223 and 152; West Indies 189 and 189 for 4.
In the 2nd Test at Kingstown / Barbados – June 20th-24th, Scores West Indies 147 and 343; Sri Lanka 222 and 233 for 8. Result – Drawn Game.
Brian Lara captained the West Indies in 2003 when Sri Lanka toured the Caribbean for the second time for a two match series. In the 1st Test at Gros Islet/ Daren Sammy Cricket Ground – January 20th-24th, Match drawn. Scores: Sri Lanka 354 and 126 for 0; West Indies 477 for 9 declare.
In the second 2nd Test at Kingston/ Barbados – January 27th-29th, West Indies won by 7 wickets. Scores: Sri Lanka 208 and 194; West Indies 191 and 212 for 3.
When Sri Lanka toured the Caribbean for the third time in 2007, West Indies opening batsman Christopher Gayle was at the helm when he led the West Indies in the two match series which ended in a 1-1 draw.
In the 1st Test at Providence/ Guyana – March 22nd-26th, Sri Lanka won by 121 runs: Scores: Sri Lanka 476 for 8 declared and 240 for 7 declared; West Indies 280 and 315.
In the 2nd Test at Port of Spain / Trinidad and Tobago – Apr 3rd-6th, West Indies won by 6 wickets. Scores: Sri Lanka 278 and 268; West Indies 294 and 254 for 4.
All rounder Jason Holder captained the West Indies to a 1-1 draw in the three match series for the Sobers-Tissera Trophy played in the Caribbean in 2018 when Sri Lanka toured for the fourth time.
In the 1st Test at Queen’s Park Oval, Trinidad – June 6th-10th; West Indies won by 226 runs. Scores: West Indies 414 for 8 declared and 223 for 7 declared; Sri Lanka 185 and 226.
At the Daren Sammy Cricket Ground, In Saint Lucia, June 14th-18th; match drawn: Scores; Sri Lanka 253 and 342; West Indies 300 and 147 for 5.
In final Test (day/night) at Kensington Oval, Barbados – June 23rd-26th; Sri Lanka won by 4 wickets. Scores: West Indies 204 and 93; Sri Lanka 154 and 144 for 6. Series Results West Indies 1, Sri Lanka 1, Drawn 1.
