Sri Lanka vs West Indies – 1st Test Match Preview & Prediction
THE FACTS
When is Sri Lanka vs West Indies taking place? Sunday, November 21st, 2021 – 04:30 (UK)
Where is Sri Lanka vs West Indies taking place? Galle International Stadium, Galle
What is the expected weather for Sri Lanka vs West Indies? 28-30c dry and sunny intervals across Days 1 and 2 with a risk of thundery showers on Days 3,4 and 5
What channel is Sri Lanka vs West Indies on? The match will not be televised live in the UK
Where can I stream Sri Lanka vs West Indies? The match cannot be streamed live in the UK
LAST MEETING Match Drawn
THE TEAM NEWS
SRI LANKA
- Sri Lanka’s last Test match came back in May when they comprehensively defeated Bangladesh in Kandy by 209 runs, ending a run that had seen them draw three consecutive Test matches previous to that.
- Captain and opener Dimuth Karunaratne was in imperious form with the bat in that game, scoring 118 and 66, so he will be an important factor for the hosts, as will the vastly experienced Angelo Matthews.
- Four uncapped players have been named in the Sri Lanka squad, including batter Charith Asalanka, who featured in the recently concluded T20 World Cup and is now hoping to transfer his batting skills to the Test match arena.
WEST INDIES
- West Indies’ most recent experience of Test match cricket came in a two-match series against Pakistan back in August, which finished 1-1, including a thrilling contest that saw the Windies beat Pakistan by just one wicket.
- Kraigg Braithwaite captains a well-balanced side that mixes experienced with youth and West Indies fans will be excited to get another glimpse of 20-year-old fast bowler Jayden Seales should he be selected.
- With spin expected to be crucial in Galle, both bowler Rahkeem Cornwall and all-rounder Roston Chase are likely to play important roles for the tourists in this first Test as the pitch could well break up as the five days progress.
THE PREDICTION
It will be interesting to see how both of these two teams adapt back to the Test match game after a strict diet of T20 cricket over the past couple of months. For West Indies, the challenge is huge travelling to the Sub Continent on pitches that they are not as used to playing on. Sri Lanka’s spin-bowling ranks are extremely impressive and will provide the key foundations for them not only in this match, but in the series as a whole. Ultimately, the experience of the home side in these conditions, alongside their stronger spin-bowlers should see them come out on top should there be enough play inside the five days with bad weather potentially on the horizon across the final few days of this match.
