3 reasons why the Barbados Test will be crucial for West Indies cricket
The three-match Test series between the West Indies and Sri Lanka is about to reach its business end with the hosts 1-0 up after the first two Tests.
After dominating the first Test at Trinidad and thrashing the visitors by 226 runs, the hosts managed to save the second Test at St. Lucia courtesy a gutsy innings by Kraigg Brathwaite who scored 59 runs of 172 balls, and later, rain came to their rescue.
The third Test gets underway on 23rd June 2018, at Barbados. While the visitors will be disappointed that they could not get over the finishing line in St. Lucia, they will have to play the Test at Barbados without their skipper Dinesh Chandimal who has been suspended for the Test due to ball tampering charges.
West Indies on the other end have played positive cricket in the series and the likes of Brathwaite, Devon Smith, Kieran Powell, Shai Hope, Roston Chase and Shane Dowrich have scored runs at crucial stages in the series. The bowling has been really impressed with the trio of Shanon Gabriel, Kemar Roach and Miguel Cummins picking up wickets at regular intervals. Skipper Jason Holder is playing the perfect supporting role for the pacers and has impressed with the bat too.
West Indies will go in as the favourites in the Barbados Test and will look to clinch the 3 match Test series. Here is a look as to why the Barbados Test will be a special one for the West Indies cricket team:
_________________________________________________________________________
#3 No Test series win against Sri Lanka in 15 years:
The year 2003 was the last time when West Indies beat Sri Lanka in a Test series. Since then West Indies and Sri Lanka have played 4 Test series with Sri Lanka winning two and the other two ending in draws.
If West Indies beat Sri Lanka at Barbados or even manage to hold on to a draw, the men from the Caribbean islands will have their first victory over Sri Lanka in a Test series in 15 years.
Till date, in 19 Tests between both the nations, West Indies have won only 4 Tests, Sri Lanka have triumphed in 8 and 7 have been draws. In 8 Test series between the West Indies and Sri Lanka, West Indies have won 2 series, Sri Lanka have won 3 and remaining 3 series have been draws.
A win in the Test series against Sri lanka would mean a lot to the West Indies team who are languishing at number 9 in the Test rankings.