De Silva's Century Lifts Sri Lanka on Day One

Dhananjaya de Silva struck his 13th Test century, a stroke-filled 120, to guide Sri Lanka to 308 on the first day of the opening Test against the West Indies in Antigua. The visitors faced early difficulties, slumping to 42 for three on a challenging pitch after being put in to bat. De Silva found crucial support from Dinesh Chandimal, who contributed 54, and later from Sonal Dinusha, who added 43 in a vital partnership. These efforts were key in stabilizing the innings after Kemar Roach and Alzarri Joseph caused early damage.

Despite the strong batting performance from de Silva, Sri Lanka was ultimately dismissed just before the close of play. The West Indies' fielding proved costly, with wicketkeeper Joshua da Silva dropping three chances. Justin Greaves was the most successful bowler for the West Indies, taking three wickets for 39 runs. Sri Lanka's balanced attack, featuring both seamers and spinners, is expected to be a key factor in the remainder of the match, especially following their captain's resilient display.