India registered a comfortable victory over Sri Lanka in the second Test at the Galle International Cricket Stadium to take a 1-0 lead in the two-match series.
Chasing a daunting 372-run target, Sri Lanka resumed their second innings on the fifth and final day at 84 for 4, with captain Dhananjaya de Silva and Sonal Dinusha unbeaten on 31 and 25 respectively.
The pair showed tremendous patience and resilience early in the day, frustrating the Indian bowlers with a determined fifth-wicket partnership. De Silva and Dinusha added 95 runs off 202 deliveries before Ravindra Jadeja finally broke the stand.
Jadeja dismissed the Sri Lankan captain for 59, getting De Silva caught at short fine leg as he attempted a sweep. De Silva’s 151-ball innings included seven boundaries and marked his 20th Test half-century.
Niroshan Dickwella, who made a fighting half-century in the first innings, failed to make a significant contribution in the second. The wicketkeeper-batter was busy at the crease, moving around frequently and exchanging a few words with Yashasvi Jaiswal before edging Prasidh Krishna through to the wicketkeeper for 10.
Dinusha remained rock-solid despite wickets falling around him and continued to offer Sri Lanka hope. However, his dismissal effectively ended the hosts’ resistance.
Having scored a century in the first innings, Dinusha once again led the fight with a determined 84 off 128 deliveries, striking eight fours and a six.
Once Dinusha departed, Sri Lanka’s lower order offered little resistance as India wrapped up the innings for 206, securing a comprehensive 165-run victory.
Left-arm spinner Manav Suthar was the standout bowler for India, claiming six wickets in the second innings after his four-wicket haul in the first innings. He finished with an impressive match tally of 10 wickets for 131 runs.
