Windies to host its first ever day-night Test match at home against Sri Lanka

The Sri Lanka Cricket Board (SLCB) has announced that its team will be playing the first ever day-night Test match in the Caribbean. Sri Lanka are scheduled to tour West Indies for a three-match Test series in June. The third and final Test match of the series will be a day-night battle under lights with the pink-ball from June 23 to June 27 at Kensington Oval, in Barbados. It is the inaugural occasion when Windies will be hosting the day-night Test.

The Lankans are expected to arrive early as they will look to acclimatize in the alien conditions with a two-day warm-up match. The first Test between Windies and Sri Lanka starts on June 6 at the Queen’s Park Oval, in Trinidad and Tobago. While the second Test match would be played at St. Lucia, from June 14.

The Lankans on high spirits after series win against Pakistan

Windies have played two day-night Test matches in the past, where they faced the Pakistan team in UAE and were handed a defeat by 56 runs. They next played England in Birmingham where the inexperienced team was out played. The drubbing was heavier this time as the margin of victory for England was an innings and 209 runs.

That has given them the much-needed experience in dealing with the pink ball. Playing at home Jason Holder & Co. will try their best to make life difficult for the Asian islanders. On the other hand, Sri Lanka will feel they have the momentum on their side having won a Test series against Pakistan and also their maiden day-night Test encounter in UAE, last year. They also became the first ever team to claim a record series victory against Pakistan in the UAE, their adopted home.

Both the teams have had their fair share of struggles of late and the one that is able to keep everything aside and produce performance in those five days will take the game.