Run glut leads to draw as West Indies snatch rare series win

The final match ended in a high-scoring draw, but that result was enough for West Indies to win the series — something they haven't done often recently.

Batting dominated

Both teams piled on the runs. Big hundreds and long innings meant neither side could force a result, leading to a stalemate. Series decided earlier. WI had done the damage in the first matches. The draw in the last game sealed the series for them without needing a final-day push."Rare" win. This is a big deal for West Indies. Series wins have been few and far between for them in recent years, so taking this one is a morale boost.

And it was perhaps the significance - and rarity - of this achievement that informed the hosts' approach over the course of this Test, which was also the first in 2026 to end in a draw. Following Sri Lanka's imposing first-innings effort, West Indies' response - on a good batting surface - never really appeared to be in search of a victory.

Moreover, with WTC points of less importance since they have already been eliminated from contention for a final berth, the series win was all that mattered for West Indies. And in that context, it was incumbent on Sri Lanka to do most of the running, though on a true surface that scarcely deteriorated over the course of the Test, the visiting bowlers were always facing an uphill challenge in picking up 20 wickets to win the game and level the series.

West Indies, however, weren't in any mood to make it easy, as they stuck to defensive fields and lines - stacking a 2-7 field to the seamers, while the spinners lived on leg-stump lines. Despite this, Sri Lanka galloped along at a scoring rate of 5.79 in the session, one where they struck 139 runs in 24 overs.

Kamindu - top-edged a cut off Jayden Seales trying to smash an off-side length ball Dhananjaya de Silva - holed out to long-off Chandimal & Kusal Mendis - both cut balls straight to gully Sonal Dinusha - run out by a direct hit from deep point going for a risky 2nd Isitha Wijesundara - out to a wild slogTone of the period.

After days of gritty, patient Test cricket, this suddenly looked like the death overs of an ODI. Sri Lanka were scrambling for runs. It wasn’t the pitch. The report says it was more batter errors than demons in the surface. In short: A string of loose shots and a run-out triggered a collapse. Sri Lanka went from obdurate to frantic, and gifted their wickets away.

Handshakes were offered and taken after the 40th over, as West Indies had moved to 109 for no loss with both batters on unbeaten half-centuries, a fitting end to a game dominated by the bat.