India thump Sri Lanka by 238 runs despite Dimuth Karunaratne’s fighting ton in pink-ball Test

Sri Lankan skipper Dimuth Karunaratne hit a sublime hundred, but the visitors succumbed to a 238-run defeat inside three days in the pink-ball Test against India in Bengaluru. Karunaratne scored 107 off 174 balls with the aid of 15 fours. However, Ravichandran Ashwin (4/55) and Jasprit Bumrah (3/23) starred with the ball as India bowled out Sri Lanka for 208 in 59.3 overs. Left-arm spinner Axar Patel also chipped in with two wickets.

On a challenging surface, Karunaratne looked in control of his innings. The left-hander brought up his century by flicking a length ball from Bumrah for a boundary. It needed a beauty from the pacer to end Karunaratne’s valiant effort. Bumrah got a full delivery to tail in late and clean up the well-set batter as he attempted a drive.

The end for Sri Lanka came swiftly after Karunaratne’s departure. Ashwin trapped Lasith Embuldeniya lbw for 2 with one that straightened. Bumrah bowled Suranga Lakmal for 1 in his final Test while the winning moment came when Vishwa Fernando (2) slogged Ashwin to mid-off.

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Karunaratne, Kusal Mendis resist for Sri Lanka before Indian bowlers hit back

Karunaratne and Kusal Mendis featured in a second-wicket stand of 97 as the visitors showed some resilience on Day 3 of the pink-ball Test. Both Karunaratne and Mendis brought up their fighting fifties in the first session of play on Monday. However, India hit back with three wickets to reduce the Lankans to 151 for 4 by the end of the session.

Mendis was the first to reach his fifty, off only 57 balls, placing Ravindra Jadeja for a single through point. However, he did not last long after that. On 54, ran down the track to Ashwin and was completely beaten in the flight. Rishabh Pant completed the stumping as Ashwin equaled Dale Steyn’s record of 439 Test wickets.

Jadeja struck in the very next over, breaching Angelo Mathews’ defense and cleaning him up for 1. Ashwin then had his second in the second when Dhananjaya de Silva (4) offered a bat-pad catch to Hanuma Vihari at short leg. Karunaratne hung on to complete a defiant half-century by whipping Axar Patel towards midwicket for a single. However, three wickets in the session meant India had pretty much neutralized Sri Lanka’s fightback.

Axar had his first wicket of the innings in the second session when Niroshan Dickwella (12) jumped out of his crease and missed a straighter one to be stumped. Charith Asalanka’s poor run with the bat continued as he perished for 5. Axar got one to turn and jump and the vicious delivery took the left-handed batter’s gloves before landing in the hands of backward short leg.

Karunaratne continued the fight for Sri Lanka in the second session, but the visitors were always fighting a losing battle.