Dimuth Karunaratne hit 50 off 56 balls as Sri Lanka trounced Pakistan by seven wickets in the second Test in Colombo yesterday to square the three-match series 1-1.
Chasing 153 to win, the hosts made light of a 30-minute delay to start due to a wet outfield and raced to victory in 26.3 overs before lunch on the fifth and final day at the Colombo Oval.
Karunaratne and skipper Angelo Mathews added a brisk 72 for the third wicket after two wickets had fallen with the score on 49 to raise Pakistan’s hopes.
Photo: AP
Mathews remained unbeaten on 43, sharing a fourth-wicket partnership of 32 with Lahiru Thirimanne, who hit the winning boundary off leg-spinner Yasir Shah.
The win ended Sri Lanka’s three-match losing streak at the Colombo Oval and set up a potentially thrilling finale when the third Test begins at Pallekele International Cricket Stadium near the popular hill resort of Kandy on Friday.
Mathews said it was a very good comeback by his team after losing the first Test in Galle by 10 wickets.
“The boys showed a lot of character after that defeat,” he said, adding it was important to go for quick runs in the second innings, because of the threat of rain.
“We wanted to bat positively, because we were not sure about the weather,” he said. “We gave the boys the green signal to play freely, because it is easy to get bogged down.”
Pakistan captain Misbah-ul-Haq said being bowled out for 138 on the first day after electing to bat had cost his team dearly.
“That session from lunch to tea on the first day really dented us, because we lost all our main batsmen in that period,” he said. “It made all the difference in the match.
“The batting in the first innings is not consistent enough and that is a big worry for us. We put up a big score at Galle and here we collapsed from 74 for three to 138 all out,” he said.
“The bowling has been good, especially Yasir, who now has 54 wickets from his first nine matches. He is a match-winner, but the injury to Wahab [Riaz] was a big blow,” he added.
Pakistan pace spearhead Wahab suffered a hairline fracture of his left hand while batting on the first day and has been ruled out of the series.
“Hopefully we will recover from this loss and try and win the final Test,” Misbah said.
Kithuruwan Vithanage, promoted to open the batting in place of Kaushal Silva, smashed four boundaries and two sixes in an aggressive 34 off 23 balls.
The left-hander contributed a major share of the 49-run opening stand with Karunaratne, when Pakistan hit back with two wickets off successive balls.
Vithanage holed out in the deep off the last ball of left-arm spinner Zulfiqar Babar’s second over after striking two sixes earlier in the over.
Veteran Kumar Sangakkara, playing his last Test match against Pakistan, fell to the first delivery he faced, caught at short-leg by Azhar Ali off Yasir.
Sangakkara, 37, Test cricket’s leading current run-getter, on Saturday said he would appear in only the first two Tests against Pakistan and play two more against India in August before retiring from the international game.
Karunaratne had hit four boundaries when he was leg-before to Yasir with 32 runs still needed for victory, but vice captain Thirimanne partnered his skipper to a facile win.
Hard-working Sri Lankan seamer Dhammika Prasad was named man of the match for his seven wickets in the Test.
US track and field athletes have about four dozen pieces to choose from when assembling their uniforms at the Olympics. The one grabbing the most attention is a high-cut leotard that barely covers the bikini line and has triggered debate between those who think it is sexist and others who say they do not need the Internet to make sure they have good uniforms. Among those critical or laughing at the uniforms included Paralympian Femita Ayanbeku, sprinter Britton Wilson and even athletes from other countries such as Britain’s Abigail Irozuru, who wrote on social media: “Was ANY female athlete consulted in
Four-time NBA all-star DeMarcus Cousins arrived in Taiwan with his family early yesterday to finish his renewed contract with the Taiwan Beer Leopards in the T1 League. Cousins initially played a four-game contract with the Leopards in January. On March 18, the Taoyuan-based team announced that Cousins had renewed his contract. “Hi what’s up Leopard fans, I’m back. I’m excited to be back and can’t wait to join the team,” Cousins said in a video posted on the Leopard’s Facebook page. “Most of all, can’t wait to see you guys, the fans, next weekend. So make sure you come out and support the Beer
Former US Masters champion Zach Johnson was left embarrassed after a foul-mouthed response to ironic cheers from spectators after a triple bogey at Augusta National on Friday. Johnson, the 2007 Masters winner, missed the cut after his three-over-par round of 75 left him on seven-over 151 for 36 holes, his six on the par-three 12th playing a big role in his downfall. Television footage showed Johnson reacting to sarcastic cheers and applause when he tapped in for the triple bogey by yelling: “Oh fuck off.” Such a response would be considered bad form in any golf tournament, but is particularly out of keeping
The sacred flame for the Paris Olympics was lit yesterday in Olympia, Greece, the birthplace of the ancient Games, in a ceremony inspired by antiquity and marked by messages of hope amid multiple global crises. “In ancient times, the Olympic Games brought together the Greek city states, even — and in particular — during times of war and conflict,” International Olympic Committee president Thomas Bach said. “Today, the Olympic Games are the only event that brings the entire world together in peaceful competition. Then as now, the Olympic athletes are sending this powerful message — yes, it is possible to compete fiercely