2nd Test Drawn: India’s WTC Final Qualification Equation Steepens After Sri Lanka Hold Out in Colombo
Summarized by AI; it may make mistakes. Check important info
Summarized by AI; it may make mistakes. Check important info
Sonal Dinusha produced a second-innings masterclass of stubborn resolve, scoring an unbeaten 133 off 264 balls to earn Sri Lanka a draw in the second Test at the SSC Ground on Thursday, securing India a 1-0 series win.
Forced to follow on after managing only 290 in their first essay, Sri Lanka entered the final day with a slender 16-run advantage. Dinusha’s marathon effort ensured the hosts posted 429/9 before declaring late in the final session, grinding down a visibly exhausted visiting attack.
Dinusha Joins Elite Company
The young left-hander reached his second century of the match on the first ball after tea, flicking Mohammed Siraj into the mid-wicket pocket for two runs. The milestone made him only the third Sri Lankan to score three hundreds in a two-match Test series, alongside Aravinda de Silva and Kumar Sangakkara.
Dinusha finished the series with 419 runs at an average of 139.66, drawing warm congratulations from the Indian players alongside a standing ovation from his own dressing room.
Indian Attack Runs Out of Steam
On a dead surface, India’s bowling unit struggled for breakthroughs as physical niggles mounted. Siraj was restricted in his workload, whilst Ravindra Jadeja laboured through obvious discomfort.
With main options depleted, Indian captain Shubman Gill, Yashasvi Jaiswal, and wicketkeeper Dhruv Jurel were forced to bowl the final overs before both captains shook hands.
Sri Lanka’s tail proved remarkably stubborn. Tailender Lahiru Kumara spent 90 balls compiling a stoic 12, whilst Asitha Fernando held out for 24 deliveries without scoring, allowing Dinusha to hit out late with two sixes off Jadeja and Gill.
Qualification Equation Steepens for India
Despite taking the series 1-0, the draw hits India’s World Test Championship campaign hard.
India must now win six of their remaining seven Tests — against New Zealand away and Australia at home — to stand a chance of reaching the final, leaving their qualification hopes hanging by a thread.
