Chandimal and Karunaratne Steady Sri Lanka After Early Setback

Dinesh Chandimal’s aggressive half-century (60 off 99) and his unbeaten 100-run partnership with Dimuth Karunaratne (40 off 90) helped Sri Lanka recover on the opening morning of the second Test against New Zealand in Galle. After opting to bat first, Sri Lanka reached 102/1 in 32 overs despite a brief rain interruption. Unlike the pitch used in the first Test, the surface for this game appeared much drier, allowing New Zealand’s spinners to extract turn right from the first session.

The sole wicket to fall was that of Pathum Nissanka, who edged a delivery from Tim Southee to the wicketkeeper early on. New Zealand enjoyed some swing in the opening overs, and Karunaratne was fortunate to survive two close calls—first when Daryl Mitchell dropped a simple catch at first slip, and later when wicketkeeper Tom Blundell missed a stumping chance off Ajaz Patel. Had New Zealand capitalized on those chances, they could have put more pressure on Sri Lanka.

Instead, Chandimal took control of the innings, playing an aggressive knock while riding his luck with a few missed strokes. His attacking approach prevented Patel from settling into a consistent line, even though the pitch was offering significant turn. With the surface already showing signs of grip and bounce, New Zealand's bowlers could pose more challenges if they maintain discipline.

Brief Scores:  

Sri Lanka 102/1 (Dinesh Chandimal 60, Dimuth Karunaratne 40; Tim Southee 1-30) vs New Zealand.