Sri Lanka enjoyed a productive opening day of the second Test against West Indies at the Sir Vivian Richards Stadium in North Sound, Antigua, courtesy of a magnificent batting display led by Lahiru Udara. After opting to bat first, the visitors recovered brilliantly from an early setback to reach 338/5 at stumps in 90 overs. Although West Indies struck twice in the final half hour to claw back some momentum, Sri Lanka firmly controlled proceedings for most of the day through commanding partnerships and disciplined batting.
Lahiru Udara’s career-best score powers Sri Lanka to a formidable total after early setbacks
West Indies made the perfect start after being asked to bowl first, with Shamar Joseph removing Nishan Madushka and Dinesh Chandimal inside the opening hour. Madushka chopped a cut shot straight to point, while Chandimal flicked one directly to square leg, reducing Sri Lanka to 25/2 on a green-tinged surface.
However, Udara responded with remarkable composure in only his second Test appearance. The 32-year-old opener handled the early movement confidently before gradually shifting gears as the conditions eased. Displaying excellent judgment outside the off stump and punishing anything loose, Udara stitched together a remarkable 215-run partnership with Kamindu Mendis, the highest-ever partnership for Sri Lanka in the Caribbean. Kamindu played the perfect supporting role with a fluent 84 off 120 deliveries as the duo completely wrestled control away from the hosts.
After Kamindu’s dismissal via a sharp stumping from Shai Hope, Udara continued his outstanding knock alongside captain Dhananjaya de Silva. The pair added another valuable 93 runs for the fourth wicket as Sri Lanka steadily marched towards a commanding first-innings total. Udara eventually fell for a superb 188, narrowly missing out on a maiden Test double century after top-edging a pull shot to deep fine leg late in the day.
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Late wickets provide West Indies with much-needed relief at the end of the day
Despite spending long periods under pressure, West Indies refused to let their intensity drop and were eventually rewarded during the final session. Justin Greaves provided the breakthrough by dismissing Kamindu after an excellent wicketkeeping effort from Hope, while the bowlers tightened their lines considerably during the closing stages.
Jayden Seales then produced another memorable moment by dismissing De Silva for a patient 33, bringing up his 100th Test wicket in the process. The milestone made Seales the second-fastest West Indies bowler to reach the landmark in terms of deliveries bowled, highlighting another impressive achievement in his young Test career. Joseph was the standout bowler for the hosts, claiming two early wickets and finishing with figures of 2/60, while Seales’ landmark scalp ensured West Indies ended the day on a positive note after enduring a frustrating afternoon in the field.
Although Sri Lanka lost two well-set batters late in the day, their total of 338/5 leaves them in a commanding position heading into Day 2. With De Silva departing before stumps but the lower order still to contribute, the visitors will look to push beyond the 400-run mark, while West Indies will aim to wrap up the innings quickly and keep themselves firmly in the contest.
It’s stumps on day one and it is Sri Lanka who dominated the day’s proceedings. Lahiru Udara was the star of the show 👌💥#WIvSL #SriLankaCricket pic.twitter.com/MtoxPS7Duq
— CricketTimes.com (@CricketTimesHQ) July 4, 2026
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