Recent Match Report – West Indies vs Sri Lanka 2nd Test 2020/21

Both teams have just one specialist slow bowler: Rahkeem Cornwall for West Indies and Lasith Embuldeniya for Sri Lanka

Toss Sri Lanka chose to bowl against West Indies

Sri Lanka won the toss and opted to bowl first on a track that captain Dimuth Karunaratne thought might still have a little bit of moisture in it to aid the seamers, but on which Kraigg Brathwaite was happy to bat first.

This pitch, unlike the surface prepared for the first Test, had little live grass on it, which suggests it is starting out drier, and may be better for batting than the pitch for the first Test was, on days one and two at least. Curtly Ambrose believed that would be the case at the pitch report, in any case.

But although it is also possible this track takes more turn at the back end of the Test, neither team has strengthened their spin bowling. Both sides will go in with the same XIs, which feature just one specialist slow bowler – offspinner Rahkeem Cornwall for West Indies and left-arm spinner Lasith Embuldeniya for Sri Lanka.

Given both teams’ good batting performances in the second innings of the first Test, they have each left their top orders undisturbed as well.

West Indies: 1 Kraigg Brathwaite (capt.), 2 John Cambpell, 3 Nkrumah Bonner, 4 Kyle Mayers, 5 Jermaine Blackwood, 6 Joshua da Silva, 7 Jason Holder, 8 Rahkeem Cornwall, 9 Alzarri Joseph, 10 Kemar Roach, 11 Shannon Gabriel

Sri Lanka: 1 Dimuth Karunaratne (capt.), 2 Lahiru Thirimanne, 3 Oshada Fernando, 4 Dinesh Chandimal, 5 Dhananjaya de Silva, 6 Pathum Nissanka, 7 Niroshan Dickwella. 8 Suranga Lakmal, 9 Dushmantha Chameera, 10 Lasith Embuldeniya, 11 Vishwa Fernando