Pictures BS News Agency.
Bibhash Lodh, BS News Agency: Sri Lanka's cricket team did the impossible. This is the first time against the Indian cricket team, and the fourth time in total, the Sri Lankan cricketers saved them from defeat in a Test match by following on in an unimaginable fight at the Colombo ground. After following on, they fought hard despite being behind by 213 runs in the first innings, and snatched a historic and memorable draw against India in the second Test match at the Colombo ground on Thursday. However, thanks to the victory in the first Test, India won the 2-match series 1-0.
It is noteworthy that the Sri Lankan cricket team had faced follow-on 24 times in the previous 27 Tests. Of these, they lost 8 times against India by following on in each of them. But this time in Colombo, Sri Lankan cricketers broke that record of defeat by playing tooth and nail, or rather the team's batsmen.
The Indian cricket team declared the end of the first innings by scoring 509 runs for 9 wickets. In reply, Sri Lanka's first innings ended at 290 runs. That is, Sri Lanka was behind by 219 runs. India followed on, forcing the Sri Lankan team. Sri Lanka had to score that run to save the innings. Batting in the second innings, they were struggling at 229 runs for 6 wickets at the end of the fourth day. For a while, it seemed that Sri Lanka's defeat was just a matter of time. But Sri Lanka's two batsmen Sonal Dinusha (133 not out) and Keshara Nuwantha (46) did not want to give up. The two batsmen played a major role in saving Sri Lanka's defeat by adding 112 runs in the seventh wicket partnership. With Sri Lanka's second innings at 429 for 9, the captains of both teams accepted the offer of an honourable draw.
The Colombo Test was memorable in every way for Sonal Dinusha. She scored 103 in the first innings as well. Not only that, she remained unbeaten on 133 in the first Test at Galle. Sonal Dinusha left her mark on the field with three centuries in the two-Test series.