28 August,2026 01:34 PM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondent
Sonal Dinusha (Pic: X/@OfficialSLC)
In the second Test match against Team India, Sri Lanka managed to draw the game, thanks to Sonal Dinusha's gritty knock at the Sinhalese Sports Club Cricket Ground in Colombo.
In the hosts' second innings, Dinusha delivered an unbeaten knock of 133 runs off 264 deliveries. His knock was laced with eight boundaries and two maximums.
With this, he joined an elite list of cricketers who have scored three tons in two-match Test series. He is also the third Sri Lankan batsman to have achieved this feat.
The cricketers who have scored three centuries in two-match Test series are Sri Lanka's Aravinda de Silva, South Africa's Jacques Kallis and Hashim Amla, Sri Lanka's Kumar Sangakkara, Pakistan's Younis Khan, Australia's Marnus Labuschagne and New Zealand's Kane Williamson.
Overall, Dinusha became the 12th batter to score hundreds in both innings of a Test against India. He is only the second batter since January 2015 to achieve the milestone against India after England's Jonny Bairstow, who scored 106 and an unbeaten 114 runs at Edgbaston in 2022.
Sri Lanka mounted an extraordinary second-innings comeback to earn a hard-fought draw against Team India in the second Test at the Sinhalese Sports Club. Left-handed batsman Dinusha spearheaded the effort with a heroic unbeaten 133, helping the hosts restrict the Indian bowling attack.
After India declared their first innings at 503/9, built on centuries from Devdutt Padikkal (117) and Dhruv Jurel (115') alongside Rishabh Pant's fluent 63, the visitors bowled out Sri Lanka for 290. Holding a massive 213-run lead, Indian skipper Shubman Gill enforced the follow-on.
Facing defeat, Sri Lanka's batting lineup displayed immense grit. Pasindu Sooriyabandara struck a crucial 92, and Kamindu Mendis added 55 to cut short the deficit. However, Dinusha proved to be the big obstacle for India, facing 264 deliveries in his marathon knock to guide Sri Lanka to 429/9 across 154 overs before play concluded.
Padikkal was named the "Player of the Series" for his exceptional batting display in both Test matches against Sri Lanka.
(With ANI Inputs)