India bowlers complete demolition job to bowl out Sri Lanka for 181 in the second innings and help their team win the third Test by an innings and 171 runs at Pallekele. With the win, India won the series 3-0, their first ever clean-sweep away from home.
Dinesh Chandimal and Angelo Mathews resisted with a 65-run stand for the fifth wicket and fought hard in the hour before Lunch break but that was not enough. Upon return after the break, Chandimal managed to play Kuldeep Yadav straight to short-leg and lose his wicket. His partner Mathews was dismissed shortly after as he tried to sweep R Ashwin from outside off but missed it to be adjudged leg-before wicket. India completed formalities by picking up the four remaining wickets before Tea to beat Sri Lanka by an innings and 171 runs in the third and final Test at Pallekele. India completed their first ever clean-sweep over Sri Lanka in a Test series in Sri Lanka and this was India’s fifth straight win over them, all under the captaincy of Virat Kohli.
Mohammed Shami and R Ashwin set the tone for the day early and followed it throughout as India bowled out Sri Lanka for 181 in the second innings. Following on after being bowled out for 135 in the first innings, Sri Lanka resumed at 19 for 1 with Dimuth Karunaratne and nightwatchman Malinda Pushpakumara having lost opener Upul Tharanga late on day two.
Right from the start, Ashwin made it look like it will be his day. He came on to bowl the second over of the day and the first ball to Dimuth Karunaratne spun away in a big way. Two balls later, he got one to once as well and Karunaratne failed to pick the line and length. The edge off his flew to the slips where Ajinkya Rahane grabbed an easy catch. Sri Lanka’s best batsman of the second innings, Karunaratne had to make a long walk to the pavilion without repeating his heroics of Galle Test.
Shami showed another spell of serious fast bowling like he did in the first innings. His seam movement was a delight to watch but a nightmare for the batsman as the ball kept beating the outside edge of the bat. In the fourth over of the day, Pushpakumara had this experience but Shami finally got him caught behind.
Second innings centurion from Galle Test Kusal Mendis struggled to find himself going early in his innings. He tried unsettling Ashwin with sweeping but was not really in his zone. The only time Shami had a go at him, he dismissed Mendis.
Shuffling cross to play through the leg-side, Mendis missed and the ball hit his pads. The umpire raised his finger after India’s appeal and Mendis did not review it.
Chandimal looked composed in his innings while Mathews played a few shots. Sri Lanka went to Lunch at 82 for 4 and 270 runs away from making India bat again.
It never happened when Mathews and Chandimal were dismissed in the second session. Ashwin actually made it his own day as he picked up Dilruwan Perera as Sri Lanka’s seventh wicket. Pandya took a good catch in the deep to end Dilruwan’s innings.
Niroshan Dickwella and Laskhan Sandakan took Sri Lanka past 150 with the former using his favourite and effective sweep shot against India’s spinners. He made 41 runs and delayed India’s win and took it to the last half-an-hour of the second session.
But Shami and Umesh returned so so did the wickets. Sandakan got a good delivery from Shami which he edged behind to the keeper. Dickwella, batting with the tail, tried to keep the strike but in trying to do so, lost his wicket.
Trying to play one past the point fielder by making room and using his wrist, Dickwella hit it to gully where Rahane grabbed a sensational catch. The last wicket pair of Vishwa Fernando and Lahiru Kumara proved to be a gritty pair and Kohli had to turn to his spinners again.
Ashwin needed only three balls on his return to clean up Lahiru Kumara and win the Test for India. He finished with four wickets while Shami picked up three. Umesh had two wickets while Kuldeep had to contend with one wicket.
Online Source: The Indian Express
