Colombo : Sonal Dinusha’s magnificent unbeaten century powered a remarkable fightback as Sri Lanka, after being forced to follow on, secured a hard-fought draw against India in the second Test. India had been firmly in control on the final day and looked set to complete a clean sweep, but Sri Lanka’s courageous and determined resistance denied them victory. India secured a 1-0 series win after a commanding victory in the opening Test in Galle, with the fifth and final day of the second Test played on Thursday, August 27, at the Sinhalese Sports Club Cricket Ground in Cinnamon Gardens, Colombo.
Sri Lanka were forced to follow on after India secured a 213-run first-innings lead, resuming the fifth and final day at 229/6 with a lead of just 16 runs. But the day belonged to Sonal Dinusha, who produced an electrifying unbeaten 133 off 264 balls to complete his second consecutive century and third century of the two-match series. He led Sri Lanka’s determined lower-order resistance, receiving excellent support from Keshara Nuwantha, who made a valuable 46 off 150 balls. Together, they built a crucial 112-run partnership that lifted Sri Lanka from a dangerous position and frustrated India’s dominant bowling attack. India’s bowlers desperately searched for the final breakthrough but could not finish the job, as Sri Lanka reached 429/9 before the match was called off as a draw. The stubborn lower-order resistance ended India’s hopes of a clean sweep, India sealed the two-match series 1-0 with their victory in the opening Test in Galle.
India had put themselves in a commanding position after declaring their first innings at 503/9, with outstanding performances from Devdutt Padikkal and Dhruv Jurel. Sri Lanka were bowled out for 290 in their first innings, leaving India with a 213-run lead and allowing them to enforce the follow-on. Sri Lanka faced another collapse against India’s clinical bowling unit and resumed the fifth and final day of the second Test at 229/6, with only four wickets remaining and under immense pressure. Sonal Dinusha was unbeaten on 7, while Keshara Nuwantha was on 3. Under enormous pressure, Dinusha continued his excellent resistance alongside Nuwantha. The pair frustrated the Indian bowlers as they stitched together a crucial 112-run partnership off 246 balls for the seventh wicket, displaying excellent concentration and handling the bowling with great composure throughout their determined stand. Dinusha reached his half-century off 99 balls as Sri Lanka safely went into the lunch break at 330/6, with Dinusha unbeaten on 55 and Nuwantha on 46. However, India struck in the very first over after lunch when Manav Suthar finally broke the crucial partnership. Suthar bowled a tossed-up delivery that spun and bounced, taking the outside edge of Nuwantha’s bat as he pressed forward in defence. Wicketkeeper Dhruv Jurel completed a sharp catch at slip. Nuwantha’s fluent 46 off 150 balls had provided Sri Lanka with much-needed and valuable support, but his dismissal left Sri Lanka at 330/7. Prabath Jayasuriya then joined Dinusha at the crease and scored just two runs from 28 balls before Ravindra Jadeja dismissed him. Jayasuriya was drawn forward and edged a sharply turning delivery, but Dhruv Jurel reacted quickly to take an excellent catch at gully. Sri Lanka were reduced to 355/8, although they had extended their lead to 142 runs. Despite losing another wicket, the stubborn lower-order resistance continued with Dinusha. He batted with complete composure, showcasing a superb temperament, patience and remarkable determination. Dinusha was unbeaten on 98 at tea. Then, with the first ball of the third and final session, he flicked Mohammed Siraj towards mid-wicket for a couple of runs to reach the landmark. The left-hander brought up his brilliant century off 196 balls, registering a second consecutive century in the match and completing his third century of the two-Test series. With this innings, Dinusha also etched his name into the record books with a remarkable achievement. He had already scored a century in the first Test in Galle, where Sri Lanka suffered a 165-run defeat, and continued his fine form in the second Test by scoring 103 runs in the first innings. Dinusha became only the third Sri Lankan batter to score centuries in both innings of a Test against India. Duleep Mendis was the first Sri Lankan to achieve the feat, scoring 105 in both innings against India in Chennai in 1982. Aravinda de Silva was the second, scoring 146 and 120 at the Colombo SSC against India in 1997. Dinusha has now become the third Sri Lankan to join this prestigious list, with scores of 103 and 133* at the Colombo SSC in 2026. Dinusha also became only the third batter to score centuries in both innings of a Test while his team was following on. Vijay Hazare achieved the feat with 116 and 145 against Australia in Adelaide in 1948, while Andy Flower scored 142 and 199* against South Africa in Harare in 2001. Dinusha now joins this elite list with his outstanding scores of 103 and 133* against India at the Colombo SSC in 2026. After another valuable 47-run stand, Sri Lanka lost their ninth wicket when Lahiru Kumara was dismissed for 12 off 90 balls. Kumara went back to defend Ravindra Jadeja’s delivery and jabbed at the ball, which spun back off the inside edge and popped up towards short leg. Yashasvi Jaiswal stayed low and took a superb one-handed catch. Sri Lanka lost their ninth wicket, but India’s bowlers were still unable to break the final resistance. Dinusha remained unbeaten on a magnificent 133, and his outstanding innings and stubborn resistance produced a remarkable match-saving performance for Sri Lanka. The match was eventually called off with Sri Lanka on 429/9, resulting in a draw and denying India the chance to complete a 2-0 series victory. Manav Suthar finished impressively with figures of 3/121 from 41 overs, while Ravindra Jadeja also claimed 3/94 from 38.3 overs. Despite their determined efforts, India’s bowling attack could not find the final wicket. With the match ending in a draw, India sealed the two-match series 1-0 after securing victory in the opening Test in Galle.
Before this match, Sri Lanka had lost 24 of the 27 Tests in which they had been forced to follow on, with all eight of their previous follow-on defeats coming against India. This was only the fourth time Sri Lanka had managed to save a Test after being asked to follow on. Their previous instances came against Zimbabwe in Bulawayo in 1994, when they finished on 193/4; England at Lord’s in 2006, when they reached 537/9; and West Indies in Galle in 2010, when they ended on 241/4. Against India at the Colombo SSC in 2026, Sri Lanka produced another remarkable escape, reaching 429/9. The draw leaves India fifth in the World Test Championship standings with 68 points and a 51.52% points percentage. Devdutt Padikkal deservedly earned the Player of the Series award after delivering an explosive performance across the two Tests. In three innings, he amassed a remarkable 328 runs at an impressive average of 109.33, including 167 in the first innings and 44 in the second innings of the opening Test, followed by a superb 117 in the second Test. India successfully sealed the two-match series 1-0, but Sri Lanka can take immense pride in their remarkable fightback in Colombo. Inspired by Sonal Dinusha’s magnificent unbeaten 133, Sri Lanka displayed tremendous character, resilience and determination to save the Test after being forced to follow on, denying India a clean sweep.
