Incredible!
It’s all over -- Dimuth Karunaratne’s superb catch brings an exciting end to the thrilling Test
It was like an episode from Alice in Wonderland. Creep in though the smallest door possible and a whole strange and new world is in front of you. It all began on Friday afternoon when Dinesh Chandimal walked in at the fall of legendary Kumar Sangakkara’s wicket and it all ended when left-arm spinner Rangana Herath who went wicketless in the first innings decapitated the Indian resolute with amazing figures of 7 for 48 in the second innings. Sri Lanka won the yo-yo battle at the Galle International Stadium by 63 runs, with a session and a day to spare.
As a Test wicket it could not be typified even on par. On the first day when the Lankans opted to bat first the Indian spinners danced jigs around the Lankan batsmen – barring Angelo Mathews and Dinesh Chandimal.
Then in the Indian innings it was opener Shikhar Dhawan and Virat Kohli who played two uncharacteristic hundreds to guide them to a score of nearly four hundred, that followed with an early burst by the Indian spinners with the new ball which saw the Lankans totter at 3 for 5. But, young Chandimal had other ideas.
Thank you buddy...Kumar Sangakkara thanking Rangana Herath after his incredible match-winning performance - Pix by Amila Gamage
He turned the tide in favour of Sri Lanka, steering the side from a nowhere situation to a winning position.No team has been able to chase a low score of 100 plus in the fourth innings at this venue. The only one was the 99 for 3 by Sri Lanka against Pakistan in 2014 in which they won by seven wickets, an innings that lasted only 49.5 overs, the same that Sri Lanka faced in their first innings of this match.
The fourth day’s proceedings got underway with India resuming on their overnight score of 23 for 1 in need of a further 153 runs with nine wickets in hand. In the first over of Nuwan Pradeep the Indians had an escape when Lahiru Thirimanne at second slip dropped nightwatchman Ishant Sharma off Nuwan Pradeep in the second ball of the second over of the day.
But Sharma did not last long thereafter, he was the first victim of Herath as India lost their second wicket with the score on 30. The out-of-form Rohit Sharma who followed was unable to make any headway, he was made to struggle for his runs and lasted only 16 balls, having plodded for four runs to continue his run of failures to become Herath’s second victim.
There were much expectations in the Indian camp when the two heroes of India’s first innings Dhawan and skipper Kohli, who came in at the fall of the third wicket, joined together with India needing just 142 runs for victory. However it was Dhawan’s subdue that put Kohli under pressure. For nearly an hour the opener had not added ten runs to his overnight score.
But Kohli seemed to be a bit nervous and looked under pressure which in fact brought his downfall and his 14-minute stay at the wicket came to an end as he lasted only ten balls making just three runs with Kaushal Silva, at forward short leg, taking the catch offered off the bowling of Tharindu Kaushal.
At one stage India was on 65 for 6 with the two spinners – Herath, four wickets and Kaushal, two, being the wreckers. Herath put the Indians in more trouble as he got rid of Harbhajan Singh three overs away from the lunch break. They went into lunch on 78 for 7.
Beginning the second session even though the target was 98 runs, it was going to be a daunting task for them as the cream of their batting was back in the pavilion. When Herath dislodged Ravichandran Ashwin in the ninth of the post lunch session the writing on the wall was almost there for India.
Rahane was the only recognised left in the India but he too perished to Herath as India slid to 102 for 9. After Rahane’s dismissal they lasted only another 18 balls as spinner Kaushal sealed the game for host Sri Lanka with the last wicket that of Amit Mishra as folded up for 112.
What more could the young bunch of Lankans done for their icon who played his last inning at Galle? They all sang “Viva Sanga”.
The second Test match between the two sides will be played at the P. Sara Oval in Colombo from August 20 to 24. This match will be Kumar Sangakkara’s final for his country.