Colombo: Sonal Dinusha produced a marathon unbeaten 133 to help Sri Lanka pull off a remarkable escape against India as the second and final Test ended in a draw at the SSC Ground in Colombo on Thursday.
Despite being forced to follow on and beginning the final day in a vulnerable position, Sri Lanka resisted India’s attack to reach 429 for nine declared in their second innings. The result meant the Shubman Gill-led India sealed the two-match Test series 1-0, courtesy of their 165-run victory in the opening Test at Galle.
Sonal Dinusha Leads Sri Lanka’s Great Escape
Sri Lanka began Day 5 at 229 for six, holding a slender lead of just 16 runs and facing the prospect of an Indian victory.
Dinusha, however, turned the contest around with a patient innings built around defence and endurance. The 25-year-old remained unbeaten on 133 after facing 264 deliveries and spending 420 minutes at the crease.
He received crucial support from Keshara Nuwantha, who scored 46 from 150 balls. The pair added 112 runs for the seventh wicket and, more importantly, consumed 246 deliveries to take Sri Lanka through the opening session without losing a wicket.
Manav Suthar eventually broke the partnership by dismissing Nuwantha, with Dhruv Jurel completing the catch at slip.
Dinusha Joins Vijay Hazare, Andy Flower In Elite List
Dinusha’s century also secured him a rare place in Test cricket history. He became only the third batter to score hundreds in both innings of a Test in which his team was asked to follow on, joining India’s Vijay Hazare and Zimbabwe great Andy Flower.
It was Dinusha’s third century of the two-match series and his fourth successive score of 50 or more. Across the series, he faced 722 deliveries and spent 1,139 minutes at the crease.
His resistance continued alongside the lower order. Prabath Jayasuriya occupied 28 deliveries for two before Ravindra Jadeja removed him, while Lahiru Kumara proved particularly difficult to dislodge.
Kumara scored only 12 but survived 90 deliveries, combining with Dinusha for a 47-run partnership that consumed 170 balls and effectively extinguished India’s hopes of forcing a result.
India Take Series 1-0
Jadeja eventually removed Kumara, but Asitha Fernando survived another 24 deliveries alongside Dinusha before Sri Lanka declared at 429 for nine, holding an overall lead of 216 runs. With a result no longer realistically possible, the players shook hands.
India nevertheless leave Sri Lanka with the series trophy after their commanding 165-run victory in Galle.
For Sri Lanka, the Colombo draw provided a spirited response after the opening-Test defeat, with Dinusha’s extraordinary resistance emerging as the defining performance of the series finale.
