A spirited batting display from Dimuth Karunaratne, Oshada Fernando and Lahiru Thirimanne on Day Five ensured that the second Test between Sri Lanka and West Indies ended in a draw here at the Sir Vivian Richards Cricket Stadium.
With the result, the trophy was shared between the two teams as the first Test had also ended in a draw
Resuming the final day at 29/0 and still needing 348 runs for the win, overnight batters Thirimanne and Karunaratne decided to grind it out in the first session and the duo ensured that the visitors did not lose any wickets before the interval. At the Lunch break, Sri Lanka’s score read 93/0 with Karunaratne and Thirimanne batting on 54 and 37 respectively.
However, in the second session, Windies was able to get the breakthrough early as Alzarri Joseph dismissed Thirimanne (39). Oshada Fernando then stitched a 45-run partnership with Karunaratne. In the 56th over of the innings, Kyle Mayers got the better of Karunaratne (75), reducing Sri Lanka to 146/2.
However, Fernando and Dinesh Chandimal then made sure not to let the hosts get a chance to go for the win. They scored 47 runs between the two of them and ensured that the match ended in a draw with Sri Lanka reaching 193/2. Fernando and Chandimal remained unbeaten on 66 and 10 respectively.
Kraigg Brathwaite was adjudged the Player of the Match while Suranga Lakmal was named the Player of the Series.
Brief Scores: West Indies 354 and 280/4; Sri Lanka 258 and 193/2 (Dimuth Karunaratne 75, Oshada Fernando 66*, Alzarri Joseph 1-33).
