The second day of the opening Test between West Indies and Sri Lanka at the Sir Vivian Richards Stadium in North Sound, Antigua, witnessed another gripping contest as momentum swung repeatedly between the two sides. After Sri Lanka posted 308 in their first innings on Day 1, the West Indies endured a mixed day with the bat before recovering brilliantly through an unbeaten partnership between Amir Jangoo and captain Roston Chase. At stumps on Day 2, the hosts had reached 271/5 in 90 overs, trailing Sri Lanka by just 37 runs with five wickets still in hand.
Amir Jangoo’s maiden Test fifty revives West Indies after Sri Lanka’s middle-session fightback
West Indies made a positive start to their innings with openers John Campbell and Brandon King negotiating the new ball confidently during the morning session. The pair added 58 runs for the opening wicket, frustrating Sri Lanka’s pace attack despite occasional movement off the surface. King looked fluent for his 31 before Milan Rathnayaka induced a mistimed drive that was safely caught at short cover. Campbell continued his solid approach alongside Kirk McKenzie Hodge as West Indies reached 89/1 at lunch, appearing well placed to mount a serious challenge to Sri Lanka’s first-innings score.
However, the visitors seized complete control immediately after the interval. Left-arm spinner Sonal Dinusha struck with his very first breakthrough, dismissing Campbell for a well-made 39 after tempting him into an ambitious lofted stroke. Rathnayaka then produced extra bounce to remove Hodge for 16 before Sri Lanka continued to chip away at the middle order. Joshua Da Silva attempted to rebuild alongside Jangoo with a patient 52-run partnership, but Asitha Fernando returned to dismiss the wicketkeeper for 20. Justin Greaves followed soon after, edging behind to Kusal Mendis, leaving West Indies struggling at 168/5.
With the innings threatening to unravel, Jangoo showcased remarkable composure in only his second Test appearance. Displaying immense patience, he compiled an unbeaten 78 off 174 deliveries, bringing up his maiden Test half-century through disciplined shot selection and determined resistance. The left-hander found an ideal partner in skipper Chase as the duo completely shifted the momentum back in West Indies’ favour.
Jangoo and Chase frustrate Sri Lanka with unbeaten century stand
Having suffered a dramatic collapse during the second session, West Indies desperately needed someone to absorb the pressure, and their captain answered the call. Chase adopted a watchful approach, carefully leaving deliveries outside off stump while rotating the strike whenever possible. His unbeaten 42 came off 105 deliveries and perfectly complemented Jangoo’s resilient innings.
Together, the pair stitched an unbroken 103-run partnership for the sixth wicket, batting through the remainder of the day without offering Sri Lanka another breakthrough. Their disciplined stand also exposed the visitors’ lack of bowling depth after Lahiru Kumara was forced off the field with a hamstring injury early in the day.
Among Sri Lanka’s bowlers, Rathnayaka and Asitha claimed two wickets each, while Dinusha also made an important breakthrough after lunch. Despite dominating the middle session, the visitors were unable to capitalize fully as Jangoo and Chase steadily erased the deficit.
With West Indies trailing by only 37 runs and five wickets still intact heading into Day 3, the opening Test remains evenly poised. The unbeaten partnership has handed the hosts a genuine opportunity to secure a valuable first-innings lead, setting up another fascinating day of Test cricket in Antigua.
