Windies, Sri Lanka set for June duel

West Indies and Sri Lanka will renew rivalry when they face each other in a limited overs Tri-Nation Series next year, that also involves powerhouse.

The tournament, which runs from June 28 to July 11, will be hosted in Jamaica and Trinidad and Tobago.

West Indies were originally scheduled to host Sri Lanka in two Tests, three One-Day Internationals, but the tour has now been deferred to allow players from both teams to participate in the Indian Premier League.

While the Tests have been put back, the One-Dayers will be absorbed in the Tri-Nation series.

West Indies will open the tournament with a clash with India at Sabina Park on June 28 and two days later face Sri Lanka, who they beat in the final of the World Twenty20 Championship last October.

Three matches in total will be played at Sabina Park while four matches, including the final, will be staged at the Queen’s Park Oval, Trinidad.

The final will be contested by the two teams with the most points after the six preliminary round matches.

For the West Indies, the Tri-Nation is part of a busy 2013 schedule which also sees Zimbabwe touring the Caribbean for two Tests, three ODIs and two Twenty20s and Pakistan arriving for a limited overs series.

In addition to India and Sri Lanka, Zimbabwe and Pakistan will also tour the Caribbean in 2013, making it the first time four international teams will visit the region in a calendar year ( outside of a world tournament).

West Indies also travel to England for the ICC Champions Trophy from June 6-23.