West Indies host Sri Lanka in a three-match T20I series to be played at the Coolidge Cricket Ground in Antigua starting in the early hours of Thursday, March 4 (3:30 AM as per IST).
Both the teams are starting to concentrate on their preparations ahead of the ICC T20 World Cup later this year.
Interestingly, it is almost a year since Sri Lanka last played any T20 matches, and that was against the Windies in Pallekele, with the hosts succumbing to a 2-0 series defeat.
In terms of the West Indies vs Sri Lanka head-to-head record in the shortest format, the stats only slightly favor the Asian nation, having won six of the 11 T20Is while Windies have secured five wins. However, the Caribbean side has won four of their last five T20I matches against Sri Lanka.
| West Indies vs Sri Lanka head-to-head | ||
| West Indies | Metrics | Sri Lanka |
| 11 | Matches | 11 |
| 5 | Win | 6 |
| 45.45 | Win Percentage | 54.55 |
Additionally, the Kieron Pollard-led West Indies have won three of their last five T20I matches, while Sri Lanka have failed to register a single win in as many matches.
Meanwhile, West Indies have won only two of their last five T20I series (3 or more matches) at home, while Sri Lanka have clinched just one T20I series win (minimum two matches) in their last five tours away from home.
West Indies at Home (last five series)
| Opponent | Matches | Wins | Winner Team | Date |
| Ireland | 3 | 1 | Drawn | 15 Jan 2020 |
| England | 3 | 0 | England | 05 March 2019 |
| Afghanistan | 3 | 3 | West Indies | 02 Jun 2017 |
| Pakistan | 4 | 1 | Pakistan | 26 Mar 2017 |
| England | 3 | 2 | West Indies | 09 Mar 2014 |
Sri Lanka in away matches (last five series)
| Opponent | Matches | Wins | Winner Team | Date |
| India | 3 | 0 | India | 05 Jan 2020 |
| Australia | 3 | 0 | Australia | 27 Oct 2019 |
| Pakistan | 3 | 3 | Sri Lanka | 05 Oct 2019 |
| South Africa | 3 | 0 | South Africa | 19 Mar 2019 |
| India | 3 | 0 | India | 20 Dec 2017 |
West Indies opener Lendl Simmons is tipped to score a fifty in the upcoming T20I series in Antigua. At the same time, Sri Lankan swashbuckling batsman Kushal Perera is the odds-on favorite to hit a half-century for the visitors.
The hosts will start as overwhelming favorites in the upcoming T20I series against Sri Lanka starting on Thursday.
Feature image courtesy: AFP / Lindsey Parnaby
