Sri Lanka have become the new number one team in the ICC World Test Championship 2021-23 points table. The Islanders crushed West Indies by 187 runs to attain the top spot.
The ICC World Test Championship series between Sri Lanka and West Indies began earlier this week in Galle. The home team won the toss and elected to bat first. Openers Pathum Nissanka and Dimuth Karunaratne got Sri Lanka off to a brilliant start, adding 139 runs for the first wicket.
Nissanka departed after scoring 56 runs, but Karunaratane continued to dominate the play and scored a century. His 147-run knock helped Sri Lanka reach closer to the 300-run mark. Contributions from lower-order batters guided the Islanders to conclude their first innings on 386.
Roston Chase was the pick of the West Indies bowlers, returning with figures of 5/83 while Jomel Warrican took a three-wicket haul.
The Caribbean batters failed to get going in the first innings. Kraigg Brathwaite, Jason Holder, Rahkeem Cornwall and Kyle Mayers all got off to starts but could not convert them into a big score. Mayers was the top-scorer with 45 as West Indies ended their first innings on 230.
Half-centuries from Dimuth Karunaratne and Angelo Mathews helped Sri Lanka set a 348-run target for the visitors. Nkrumah Bonner and Joshua Da Silva tried their best, but their fifties could not save the match. None of the other Caribbean batters could support them as West Indies were bowled out for 160 runs.
Lasith Embuldeniya picked up six wickets in the Test match and Praveen Jayawickrama took five. Ramesh Mendis scalped four wickets in the second innings to help the Islanders gain 12 points in the ICC World Test Championship.
ICC World Test Championship Points Table after 1st Sri Lanka vs West Indies Test match
With 100% points to their name, Sri Lanka are at the top of the ICC World Test Championship standings. India are second with 54.17% points, while Pakistan are third with 50% points.
India are currently playing a Test series against defending champions New Zealand. Meanwhile, Bangladesh will open their ICC World Test Championship campaign against Pakistan tomorrow.
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