On the last morning in Galle, Sri Lanka finished quickly, taking just fifteen minutes to take the last two wickets of New Zealand to win the first Test by 63 runs. As a consequence, Sri Lanka advances to a 1-0 lead in the two-match series and overtakes New Zealand to take third position in the World Test Championship (WTC) points standings.
Naturally, Prabath Jayasuriya led Sri Lanka’s attack, concluding with numbers of 5 for 68, his ninth fifty-wicket score and his seventh at Galle. After finishing with match numbers of 9 for 204, he was named Player of the Match.
Rachin Ravindra made it through just eight deliveries in the opening session of the penultimate morning after putting up such a fight the day before. Jayasuriya trapped him in front with an arm ball, and he scored 92 off 168 balls. Jayasuriya came around the wicket and threw one up on leg, catching Ravindra in the crease playing off-line. He checked, but there would be no turning back once it was determined to be pitching in line.
All thoughts of a legendary comeback were then dashed, as Will O’Rourke only managed to block five deliveries, the sixth of which found its way past his forward defence and onto off stump, giving Jayasuriya his fifth wicket of the innings.
After an outstanding performance in the match, O’Rourke would not have been quite happy with the way things ended. He finished with eight wickets, which is tied with .for second most in the whole Test series.
Regarding the WTC, this outcome maintains Sri Lanka’s outside prospects of qualifying for the championship match. However, it makes their mission much more difficult for New Zealand, given they have an away series against India and an upcoming home series against England in the upcoming months.
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Both teams will have just two days off before the second Test, which will also be held in Galle on Thursday, so they won’t have time to reflect on this outcome.
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