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Sri Lanka National Cricket Team had the opportunity to create history, defeating India in Galle by chasing a 372-run target. On Day 5, a well-fought contest between India and Sri Lanka was expected. Instead, the first of the two-match Test series ended in a one-sided contest. Soon after starting the final day of the match, India claimed a crucial win.
The home team, captained by Dhananjaya de Silva, lost their remaining 5 wickets for only 50 runs. Manav Suthar, with his spin magic, ran through the tail-end of the Lankan batting order. The Indian National Cricket Team won the match by 165 runs.
Team India spinner Manav Suthar bagged 10 wickets to defeat Sri Lanka
As soon as Suthar dismissed Keshara Nuwantha, Sri Lanka’s last batter, he confirmed the win for the Men in Blue and his 10th wicket in the match. In the second innings of the Galle Test, the spinner hailing from Sri Ganganagar, a small town in Rajasthan, got 6 wickets to go with his first innings’ four scalps.
The Indian cricket team was in the front position from the beginning of the match as they registered a total of 462 runs in their first innings after winning the toss. On the spin-friendly track, the total was massive and remained out of the grip of the host team's batting lineup.
In reply to India’s 462 runs, the Dhananjaya de Silva-led team managed to get 284 runs, and in the second innings, they were bundled out for only 206. India, in their second inning, claimed 193 runs against ten wickets.
Sri Lanka's batting order collapsed soon after Dhananjaya de Silva's dismissal
If Silva and his boys could at least defend well against the opposing spinner, then a draw was possible. It was the quality spin bowling displayed by the Indian spinners that tore apart the Lankan defence.
The first ninety minutes of Day 5 were promising for the Sri Lanka cricket team as their captain Dhananjaya de Silva and Sonal Dinusha recorded fifties. These two middle-order batters not only stitched a crucial 95-run partnership, but most importantly, faced 202 deliveries together. Soon after the departure of Silva, the Lankan batting order collapsed.
KL Rahul and Devdutt Padikkal put pressure on us: Dhananjaya de Silva said after being defeated by India in Galle
At the presentation ceremony, Sri Lanka skipper Dhananjaya de Silva said that his team was in the game for most of the match. But it was Devdutt Padikkal and KL Rahul who made the difference between the two teams. And maybe the toss also affected the result of the match, as Silvabelievess.
Devdutt Padikkal is named the Player of the Match for scoring 167 runs in the first innings and 44 in the second.
"From the second day, we were in the game. Boys fought hard; it was a good game. It was good to bat on the first three days. The fourth innings won't be easy; everyone knows that. Rahul and Padikkal put pressure on us," the Sri Lanka captain mentioned.
He replied with a 'Maybe' when he was asked, Did the toss play a role?"
