Sports Desk
6 February
Sandeep Dhand Ludhiana
In a stellar display of left-arm spin, Prabhat Jayasuriya emerged as the hero for Sri Lanka, claiming a total of eight wickets (3 for 67 and 5 for 107) to propel his team to a resounding 10-wicket triumph over Afghanistan on the fourth day of the sole cricket Test on Monday.
The match unfolded as a tale of Sri Lankan dominance, with Angelo Mathews (141) and Dinesh Chandimal (107) setting the stage for victory by guiding Sri Lanka to an impressive first-innings total of 439, securing a substantial lead of 241 runs. Their centuries laid a solid foundation for Sri Lanka’s control over the game.
Afghanistan, after posting 198 in their first innings, faced a formidable challenge as they aimed to thwart Sri Lanka’s lead. However, Jayasuriya’s remarkable spell dismantled the Afghan batting lineup in the second innings, restricting them to 296. The spinner’s prowess was highlighted as he secured crucial wickets, including the dismissal of Ibrahim Jadran, who notched up his maiden Test century with a score of 114.
Starting the day with a promising position at 199 for 1, Afghanistan encountered a dramatic collapse, losing 7 wickets to reach 252 runs by lunch. Rahmat Shah’s dismissal for 54 marked the beginning of the downfall, courtesy of Kasun Rajitha’s precise bowling. Jayasuriya’s decisive delivery to remove Ibrahim further weakened Afghanistan’s stance, reducing them to 237 runs.
Despite Nasir Jamal’s resilient unbeaten 41, Afghanistan’s middle and lower order struggled against Sri Lanka’s bowling prowess. In the second innings, six Afghan batsmen failed to reach double figures, reflecting the challenges faced by the visiting team.
The target of 56 runs set by Afghanistan proved to be a mere formality for Sri Lanka’s openers, Dimuth Karunaratne (32 not out) and Nishan Madhushanaka (22 not out), as they secured a comprehensive 10-wicket victory in the 8th over.
This historic Test marked the first-ever encounter between Sri Lanka and Afghanistan since the latter attained Test status in 2018. Prabhat Jayasuriya’s outstanding performance not only secured a convincing win for Sri Lanka but also showcased the prowess of spin bowling in shaping the outcome of the game.