West Indies captain Jason Holder takes four as Sri Lanka struggle in chase of 144

West Indies skipper Jason Holder claimed a four-wicket haul as Sri Lanka were 81/5, still 63 shy of the target, on the third day of the final Test in Bridgetown, Barbados.

West Indies captain Jason Holder took four wickets under lights on day three of the first day-night Test in the Caribbean as Sri Lanka stumbled to 81/5 chasing 144 for a series-levelling win in the third Test.

Jason Holder (L) celebrates with teammates the wicket of Roshen Silva during the third day of the third and final Test between West Indies and Sri Lanka in Bridgetown, Barbados.(Twitter)

Holder had figures of 4/21 when rain stopped play on Monday evening at Kensington Oval and the local talisman went a long way to rescuing the hosts after they had capitulated in its second innings to be all out for 93 in just 31.2 overs, setting the visitors a 144-run target for victory.

Sri Lanka captain Suranga Lakmal (3-25) and Lahiru Kumara (3-20) took three wickets each as the Windies squandered the opportunity to bat the toruists out of the game. At one stage, the hosts were 14/5 after seven overs, before Holder and wicketkeeper Shane Dowrich lead the fight back with a 27-run partnership.

Kemar Roach top scored with some composed batting late in the innings with 23 not out.

While in the field, Sri Lanka’s opening batsman Kusal Perera suffered what appeared a serious injury when he crashed head first into advertising signage on the boundary whilst attempting a catch at long on off Shannon Gabriel. An ambulance was required to enter the ground and took Perera for scans. He has been cleared of any serious injury and will bat if needed.

With their opener at hospital, Sri Lanka’s second innings continued to go awry with Mahela Udawatte caught lbw by Roach for no score before Holder wrestled momentum firmly in the hosts favor by removing Danushka Gunathilaka (21), Dhananjaya de Silva (17) and Roshen Silva for one.

With rain clouds closing in Holder took the 20th wicket of the day - the most wickets to fall in a test in the Caribbean, surpassing the 18 wickets that fell at the same venue against England in 2015 - by bowling Niroshan Dickwella for six.

At stumps, Kusal Mendis was unbeaten on 25 with all-rounder Dilruwan Perera one not out.

Earlier, Sri Lanka added 73 runs to its overnight first innings score of 81-5 with Dickwella top scoring with 42. Holder led the bowling attack with 4-19.

Sri Lanka are playing without suspended captain Dinesh Chandimal, who lost his appeal over a ball-tampering charge during the drawn second Test in St. Lucia.

The historic first day-night Test in the West Indies is the third and final one in the series which West Indies lead 1-0. The home side won the first Test by 226 runs.