A solid stand from Pasindu Sooriyabandara and Kamindu Mendis has set up Sri Lanka to fight back against India in the second test played at Colombo.
Sri Lanka was forced to follow on after scoring 290 runs in their first innings. However, they lost the wicket of Lahiru Udara for 3, while Kamil Mishara went back for 32 runs.
Before lunch, Sri Lanka were struggling at 83 runs for two in lunch. However, Pasindu Sooriyabandara and Kamindu Mendis put a solid stand, adding up 115 runs for the third wicket. They batted for around 110 minutes, closing the gap to the run target set by the side that had forced Sri Lanka to follow on.
Mendis added 55 runs off 92 deliveries before Prasidh Krishna sent him back to the dugout. Prasidh dismissed the stand with a short-pitched ball, and Shubman Gill completed a fine running catch, sending him back to the pavilion.
On the other hand, batted steadily while Dhananjaya de Silva went back to the dugout for 23 runs.
Sooriyabandara added 92 runs before being dismissed by Manav Suthar. His fifty came off 78 deliveries. However, their defence started to crumble with the dismissal of Sooriyabandara and Kamindu Mendis.
Sri Lanka’s 290 runs in the first innings came after solid knocks from Sonal Dinusha and Pasindu Sooriyabandara. The latter added 80 runs while Sonal Dinusha added 103 runs off 163 deliveries in their first innings.
Resuming from 265/8, Sonal Dinushawho was unbeaten on 85, went on to score his second hundred of the series. However, they were short of 13 runs to avoid the follow-on mark. Dinusha raced to 90 with a six, a slog sweep and a four, all hit to the on-side, off Saransh Jain.
Currently, Sri Lanka are aiming to extend the lead and take the game towards a draw. With one day and one session remaining of gameplay, Sri Lanka will try to hold their innings on day 04 and the first half of day 05.