Sonal Dinusha’s second hundred of the match helped Sri Lanka salvage a draw on the final day of the second Test in Colombo, securing a 1-0 series win for India.
Sonal Dinusha produced a fighting performance on the final day of the second Test at the Sinhalese Sports Club Ground in Colombo, scoring an unbeaten 133 to help Sri Lanka snatch a draw against India. Despite enforcing the follow-on after taking a 213-run first-innings lead, Shubman Gill's India had to settle for a 1-0 series victory instead of a 2-0 sweep.
Resuming day five at 229 for six with a slender 16-run lead, Sri Lanka found crucial resistance in Dinusha and Keshara Nuwantha. The pair put together a vital 112-run partnership for the seventh wicket. Nuwantha ground out 46 runs off 150 deliveries before edging left-arm spinner Manav Suthar to Dhruv Jurel at first slip after lunch. By lunch, Sri Lanka had reached 330 for six, adding 101 runs in the morning session without losing a wicket.
Dinusha, who notched his third century of the series, remained unruffled despite Indian skipper Shubman Gill employing aggressive field placements and rotating his bowlers, including pace duo Prasidh Krishna and Mohammed Siraj alongside spinners Ravindra Jadeja and Suthar. Prabath Jayasuriya fell to Jadeja for 2, leaving the host at 383 for eight at tea after a dour second session.
In the final session, Dinusha completed his ton and found resilient support from tailenders Lahiru Kumara (12 off 90 balls) and Asitha Fernando (0 off 24 balls). Sri Lanka eventually declared their second innings at 429 for nine in 154 overs. For India, Ravindra Jadeja (3/94) and Manav Suthar (3/121) were the main wicket-takers, while Siraj, Prasidh, and Saransh Jain claimed a wicket each.
Reporting sourced from The Hindu Sport. Photo courtesy The Hindu Sport.