WI vs SL 2026, WI vs SL 2nd Test Match Report, July 03 - 07, 2026

A wicket in the final 15 minutes of the session gave Sri Lanka’s ambitions a timely jolt following an attritional third morning at North Sound. Amir Jangoo (8 off 7) had just joined Kavem Hodge, unbeaten on a dogged-as-they-come 25 off 114, as West Indies walked off for lunch 417 runs behind.

It was a session of attrition in every sense of the word, as both sides dared the other to flinch first. But with a 1-0 series lead in the bank, both John Campbell (72 off 154) and Hodge were also playing with the knowledge that the onus would inevitably fall on the visitors to make things happen – and they were on the verge of securing an invaluable wicketless session when Campbell briefly lost his bearings.

The entire morning had played out in an almost metronomic fashion, with Sri Lanka’s seam trio of Asitha Fernando, Isitha Wijesundara and Milan Rathnayake all taking turns to test the West Indies’ discipline outside the line of off stump. Both Campbell and Hodge though showed admirable patience to rarely venture their bats away from a strict off stump line – only mixing it up to attempt the odd, razing pull.

Campbell in particular proved proficient at this, most impressively planting one high over a fielder stationed at deep midwicket. Sri Lanka though, wisely, took this sole avenue of aggression as an opportunity as they used the second hour – after the ball had softened – to stack the leg side boundary and challenged Campbell to take on the boundary riders.

And just as they would have envisioned, Campbell eventually took the bait. Having swatted one bouncer over extra cover by making some room, he went to repeat the trick but was followed this time by Asitha. Instead Campbell looked for the pull, only to find Dinesh Chandimal gratefully lurking in the deep.

It was a moment that had the West Indian dug out with their heads in their hands, and Campbell himself will not want to watch it back.

But one man who certainly didn’t look like he was itching for more aggression in his life was Hodge, who left, weaved, dead-batted and stonewalled his way through the morning session. It was only the odd pull and sweep that saw him free his arms, but for the most part he didn’t give Sri Lanka a sniff.

Though it wasn’t an innings without its moments of peril. There was one close leg before shout, and another where the finger went up. Debutant Wijesundara was on his knees in delight, but a marginal DRS call saw an imperceptibly close bat first or pad first decision, go the way of the batter.

It was a third let-off for Hodge, who had been dropped twice late last evening from chances of varying difficulty, but while he’s out in the middle the West Indies will be confident that they have at least one end locked up tight.

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