Pasindu Sooriyabandara’s unbeaten 90 keeps Sri Lanka alive against India

Pasindu Sooriyabandara’s unbeaten 90 and Kamindu Mendis’ 55 helped Sri Lanka fight back against India in the second Test. After being forced to follow on, Sri Lanka reached 199 for three at tea, trailing India by just 14 runs

Colombo: Pasindu Sooriyabandara blocked the Indian bowlers for a whole session to make a defiant unbeaten 90, carrying Sri Lanka to 199 for three in their second innings at tea on day four of the second and final Test here on Wednesday.

Skipper Dhananjaya de Silva (4) is giving company to Sooriyabandara at the break, with the home side now trailing India by 14 runs.

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The highlight of the middle session was the 115-run alliance between Sooriyabandara and Kamindu Mendis (55, 92b).

The pair fought against the Indian bowlers for 110 minutes, bridging the heavy 213-run innings deficit that had forced Sri Lanka to follow on.

Sri Lanka’s effort in the second innings was a marked improvement over the first innings, in which they were bundled out for 290.

That total was built around Sonal Dinusha’s 103, his second hundred of the series.

However, the Sooriyabandara-Mendis partnership in the ongoing innings was anything but obdurate. Both batters played with freedom and were never hesitant to take the attack to the bowlers.

Mendis creamed Manav Suthar for two sixes and did not allow the left-arm spinner to settle into a consistent rhythm.

Later, Sooriyabandara too slog-swept Suthar for a six as the young tweaker struggled to make an impact for the first time in this series.

Mendis reached his fifty with a flourish, pulling Prasidh Krishna for a six off 87 balls, and soon Sooriyabandara too joined his teammate with a 78-ball fifty.

However, Prasidh broke the swelling stand with a short-pitched ball that cramped Mendis for room, and Shubman Gill completed a fine running catch to give marching orders to the Lankan batter.

But before that, Sri Lanka were wobbling at 83 for two at lunch.

Resuming from 265 for eight, Dinusha, who was unbeaten on 85 overnight, compiled his second hundred of the series.

But his brave knock did not help Sri Lanka avert the follow-on, as they were bowled out for 290, a mere 13 runs shy of the follow-on mark.

Dinusha raced to the 90s with a six, a slog sweep and a four, all hit to the on-side, off Saransh Jain.

The right-hander reached the coveted three-figure mark with a thunderous pull off Prasidh, a moment he celebrated with pride and gusto.

But soon his overnight partner Lahiru Kumara departed, lofting Jain to Dhruv Jurel at cover. It was the 34-year-old’s maiden Test wicket.

Jurel resumed his outfield duties as Rishabh Pant, who copped a blow on his shoulder on the second day and stayed away from the field on Tuesday, returned to don the wicketkeeper’s gloves.

Dinusha, whose arrival as a Test batter might have warmed Lankan hearts, did not last long, perishing to Jain.

The Madhya Pradesh spinner induced a false drive from Dinusha, which was pouched by KL Rahul at slip.

However, India had a moment of worry as Siraj hurt himself while diving for a catch.

The pacer had to go off to receive medical attention but returned to the field after some time. In the second session, he bowled with a shorter run-up, and Pant too often stayed up to the wicket.