Colombo: Sonal Dinusha struck his second century of the match as Sri Lanka produced a determined final-day fightback to draw the second Test against India in Colombo, with the visitors taking the two-match ICC World Test Championship series 1-0.
Dinusha batted through the day for his third hundred of the series, helping Sri Lanka escape defeat after India had enforced the follow-on.
The draw allowed Sri Lanka to retain sixth place in the World Test Championship standings, while India remain fifth with a points percentage of 51.52.
Dinusha, Nuwantha frustrate India
Sri Lanka began the final day needing a long resistance, and Dinusha found strong support from Keshara Nuwantha during the morning session.
The pair survived 31.2 overs and added 100 runs to Sri Lanka’s lead before lunch. Dinusha completed his half-century, while Nuwantha made 46 as the hosts stretched their advantage to 116.
India eventually broke the partnership early in the second session when Manav Suthar had Nuwantha edge to slip, where Dhruv Jurel completed the catch.
Ravindra Jadeja then removed Prabath Jayasuriya, with Jurel taking another sharp catch.
Dinusha, though, continued to hold firm. He went to tea unbeaten on 98, with Lahiru Kumara providing stubborn resistance at the other end.
Sri Lanka scored only 54 runs in the session but lost just two wickets, pushing their lead to 170.
Dinusha completes twin hundreds
Dinusha reached his century immediately after tea, taking two runs from the first ball of the final session.
The hundred completed twin centuries for him in the Colombo Test and was his third of the series.
Kumara also played a crucial role in Sri Lanka’s resistance, facing 90 balls before Jadeja finally dismissed him for his third wicket of the innings.
With conventional options failing to dislodge Dinusha, India also turned to Shubman Gill, Yashasvi Jaiswal and Jurel with the ball.
Dinusha remained unbeaten as Sri Lanka eventually declared, following which the two teams shook hands to confirm the draw.
Having already scored a century in the first innings, Dinusha’s unbeaten second-innings hundred proved decisive in saving the Test. Nuwantha, Kumara and Sri Lanka’s lower order also played important roles in keeping India at bay.
India nevertheless secured the series 1-0 after their 165-run victory in the opening Test in Galle, while Sri Lanka ended the series with a hard-earned draw in Colombo.
