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Sonal Dinusha produced a remarkable display of patience and resilience, scoring an unbeaten 133 off 264 balls to help Sri Lanka secure a hard-fought draw against India in the second Test at the SSC Ground on Thursday.
The result saw India win the two-match series 1-0.
Sri Lanka were forced to follow on after being dismissed for 290 in their first innings. They began the final day with a 16-run lead.
Sri Lanka reached 429/9 in 154 overs before declaring late in the final session.
Only three wickets fell on the final day as Dinusha, Keshara Nuwantha and the lower order resisted India’s attempts to force a result.
Sri Lanka added 100 unbeaten runs in 31.2 overs during the morning session. Dinusha and Nuwantha settled comfortably as India opted for defensive fields, allowing the batters to rotate the strike.
Dinusha’s innings contained just two boundaries. His score extended his outstanding series run to four consecutive 50-plus scores. He joined an elite group of batters to score 50 or more in each of their first four Test innings against India.
Nuwantha provided crucial support before Manav Suthar dismissed him for 112, ending their partnership.
Dinusha continued his resistance alongside lower-order batter Lahiru Kumara, who faced 56 deliveries for his unbeaten effort before lunch.
India eventually made further inroads when Ravindra Jadeja dismissed Prabath Jayasuriya for two. Sri Lanka’s lower order, however, continued to deny the visitors.
Dinusha reached his second century of the match with the first ball of the final session. His tally rose to three centuries in the series. He became only the third Sri Lankan after Aravinda de Silva and Kumar Sangakkara to score three centuries in a two-Test series. He, however, became the eighth Sri Lankan to score twin hundreds in a Test.
India’s tiring attack struggled to break through, with Mohammed Siraj limited by a physical niggle and Jadeja bowling through discomfort.
Dinusha later struck two sixes off Jadeja and Shubman Gill before adding successive boundaries off Jaiswal’s leg-spin. He finished with 133 not out and helped put on 27 for the final wicket with Asitha Fernando. He ended the series with 419 runs at an average of 139.66.
Brief Scores
India 503/9 dec in 138 overs drew with Sri Lanka 290 and (f/o) 429/9 in 154 overs (Sonal Dinusha 133 not out, Pasindu Sooriyabandara 92; Manav Suthar 3-105, Ravindra Jadeja 3-94).
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