Saturday, April 26, 2025
3:33 AM
Doha,Qatar
RELATED STORIES
Sri Lankan cricketer Kumar Sangakkara bats during the second day's play of the second Test, in Colom

Retiring Sangakkara, Silva rescue Lanka after India post 393


AFP/Colombo

Kumar Sangakkara contributed to a Sri Lankan revival in his final Test as India found wickets hard to come by in the second Test in Colombo yesterday.
The hosts recovered from an early setback to close the second day at 140-3 in their first innings, still 253 runs behind India’s total of 393 with seven wickets in hand.
Sangakkara survived a torrid start to make 32, adding 74 for the second wicket with Kaushal Silva after Dimuth Karunaratne was leg-before to Umesh Yadav in the second over of the innings.
Silva, who had been caught behind off Stuart Binny on 14 before replays indicated a no-ball, scored 51.
At stumps, Lahiru Thirimanne was unbeaten on 28 and skipper Angelo Mathews was on 19.  
India, seeking a series-levelling win after losing the first Test in Galle by 63 runs, were all out in the third over after lunch with wicket-keeper Wriddhiman Saha making 56.
Sangakkara, the fifth-highest run-getter in Test history who will quit international cricket after the match, walked on to  warm applause from some 4,000 home fans and a guard of honour by the Indian fielders.
But the left-hander endured a tough time in the middle after keeping out a first-ball yorker from Yadav. He remained scoreless for 13 deliveries before steering Ishant Sharma to third man for two to get off the mark.
Sangakkara drove Yadav to the point fence for his first boundary, but escaped narrowly on 24 when Ajinkya Rahane failed to grasp a sharp chance in the slips after the batsman slashed at Ravichandran Ashwin.
Sangakkara managed to add only eight more runs before the same Ashwin-Rahane combination got rid of him after tea with the fielder completing a low catch in the slips.
Silva, who made five and zero in the first Test, defied the Indian bowlers for more than three hours before top-edging a sweep off Amit Mishra to Ashwin at fine-leg.
India’s bowling coach Bharat Arun said restricting Sri Lanka’s batsmen to less than three runs an over meant the bowlers had shown a lot of discipline in their line and length.
“We are looking for a lead of about 100 runs,” said Arun. “The pitch is beginning to wear out a bit and there were also signs the spinners were extracting some turn.
“There is a lot more bounce in this pitch than at Galle and this will help us. Also the old ball will reverse because of the dry grass and Umesh (Yadav) is particularly good with reverse swing.
“We are pretty happy with the way this Test has gone so far, but there is a long way to go in the match.”
Earlier, Saha followed his 60 in the first innings at Galle with another gutsy half-century before he was ninth out, leg-before to left-arm spinner Rangana Herath after lunch.
Saha and Amit Mishra put on 46 for the eighth wicket to frustrate the hosts’ bid to wrap up the innings quickly after India resumed the day at 319-6. Mishra, essentially a leg-spinner, made 24 with three boundaries before he was caught behind off a rising delivery from fast bowler Dushmantha Chameera.
Saha led a charmed life at the crease with two lucky escapes off the bowling of seamer Dhammika Prasad before he had added to his overnight score of 19.
The first time, the bail failed to dislodge after the ball brushed the off-stump, and then he survived an appeal for a low catch by wicketkeeper Dinesh Chandimal which replays showed may have hit the ground first.
Herath finished with four wickets, while Prasad, Mathews and Chameera claimed two each.







Comments
  • There are no comments.

Add Comments

B1Details

Latest News

SPORT

Canada's youngsters set stage for new era

Saying goodbye is never easy, especially when you are saying farewell to those that have left a positive impression. That was the case earlier this month when Canada hosted Mexico in a friendly at BC Place stadium in Vancouver.

1:43 PM February 26 2017
TECHNOLOGY

A payment plan for universal education

Some 60mn primary-school-age children have no access to formal education

11:46 AM December 14 2016
CULTURE

10-man Lekhwiya leave it late to draw Rayyan 2-2

Lekhwiya’s El Arabi scores the equaliser after Tresor is sent off; Tabata, al-Harazi score for QSL champions

7:10 AM November 26 2016
ARABIA

Yemeni minister hopes 48-hour truce will be maintained

The Yemeni Minister of Tourism, Dr Mohamed Abdul Majid Qubati, yesterday expressed hope that the 48-hour ceasefire in Yemen declared by the Command of Coalition Forces on Saturday will be maintained in order to lift the siege imposed on Taz City and ease the entry of humanitarian aid to the besieged

10:30 AM November 27 2016
ARABIA

QM initiative aims to educate society on arts and heritage

Some 200 teachers from schools across the country attended Qatar Museum’s (QM) first ever Teachers Council at the Museum of Islamic Art (MIA) yesterday.

10:55 PM November 27 2016
ARABIA

Qatar, Indonesia to boost judicial ties

The Supreme Judiciary Council (SJC) of Qatar and the Indonesian Supreme Court (SCI) have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on judicial co-operation, it was announced yesterday.

10:30 AM November 28 2016
ECONOMY

Sri Lanka eyes Qatar LNG to fuel power plants in ‘clean energy shift’

Sri Lanka is keen on importing liquefied natural gas (LNG) from Qatar as part of government policy to shift to clean energy, Minister of City Planning and Water Supply Rauff Hakeem has said.

10:25 AM November 12 2016
B2Details
C7Details