India finish Day 4 on high as bowlers pull up stocks
It was an eventful fourth day in Galle as India completed proceedings with an edge over a fighting Sri Lanka. A day that witnessed the fall of 14 wickets had the ball do the majority of the talking. After Sri Lanka were bundled out for 284 last night, India came out to bat on Day 4.
Starting the day with a lead of 178, India got shocked early as Yashasvi Jaiswal (0) fell in the first over itself. However, Devdutt Padikkal (44) continued from where he left while KL Rahul (35) supported him well. Rahul and Padikkal added 69 runs for the second wicket before Prabath Jayasuriya could get the better of the former.
Shubman Gill (8) couldn’t do much as Jayasuriya dealt a second blow. Padikkal followed the footsteps of the others in short succession as he fell to Keshara Nuwantha. The onus fell upon Rishabh Pant who almost single-handedly tried to regulate the innings from thereon.
The rest of the Indian batters could only get single digits and that hurt India’s prospect of setting a daunting target emphatically. Pant got a gritty 66 from 69 balls, hammering eight fours and two sixes. However, once Pant fell, India lost the remainder of the side for just 19 runs.
The visitors were bundled out for 193, posting a target of 372. Prabath Jayasuriya pulled off another incredible show with figures of 3/43 while Asitha Fernando led the show with 4/31 at the end of the innings. With a day and a half to go, Sri Lanka had to go for the numbers right from the word go, if they are to pull off an upset.
India roared into a rollicking start, courtesy of Mohammed Siraj who got the better of Nishan Madushka (6). Pasindu Sooriyabandara (0) was sent packing to the pavilion in no time by Manav Suthar. Things complicated further for the hosts as Prasidh Krishna dismissed Kamindu Mendis (2) without much ado.
Suthar struck again to remove a persistent Lahiru Udara (16) as India cornered Sri Lanka to 47/4. However, towards the end, Sri Lanka did manage to steady the ship through their captain, Dhananjaya de Silva (31*) and Sonal Dinusha (25*) as the duo added 37 runs for the fifth wicket before stumps was called.
With the final day of the clash remaining, India will be needing six wickets to go 1-0 up in the series while Sri Lanka will have to garner 288 runs. Manav Suthar was the pick of the Indian lot with figures of 2/30.
Brief scores:
India – 462 (Devdutt Padikkal – 167, KL Rahul – 82, Prabath Jayasuriya – 4/109)
Sri Lanka – 284 (Sonal Dinusha – 100, Niroshan Dickwella – 80, Manav Suthar – 4/76)
India – 193 (Rishabh Pant – 66, Devdutt Padikkal – 44, Asitha Fernando – 4/31)
Sri Lanka – 84/4 (Dhananjaya de Silva – 31*, Sonal Dinusha – 25*, Manav Suthar – 2/30)
Sri Lanka need 288 runs to win
