Sonal Dinusha Resists India as Sri Lanka Fight for Draw

Sonal Dinusha led Sri Lanka’s resistance against India on the final day of the second Test in Colombo, making an unbeaten half-century during a lower-order partnership that kept the hosts ahead of India at lunch. The Associated Press reported that Dinusha was 55 not out and Keshara Nuwantha was unbeaten on 46 after the pair had added 111 runs without losing a wicket.

The stand lifted Sri Lanka to a lead of 116 runs with four wickets in hand when the teams went to lunch on Thursday, Aug. 27. AP reported that the hosts had resumed the second innings with a narrow advantage and were trying to bat time after India had enforced the follow-on. More rain was forecast, making the time spent at the crease a significant part of Sri Lanka’s effort to avoid defeat.

Dinusha had already made a strong impression earlier in the two-Test series. NDTV Sports reported that he scored 100 and 84 in the first Test at Galle before making 103 in the first innings of the Colombo Test. The report said the second-innings fifty was his fourth score above 50 in the series.

The century in Colombo came from 162 balls and included eight fours and three sixes, according to NDTV’s earlier report. It helped Sri Lanka reach 290 in the first innings after India had built a 213-run lead. India then enforced the follow-on, sending the Sri Lankan batters back to the middle with the match situation favouring the visitors.

NDTV also reported that BCCI vice-president Rajeev Shukla praised Dinusha and compared the quality of his recent batting to Sachin Tendulkar. The comment was a personal assessment from a cricket administrator and does not change the official score or match position.

The latest figures show a Sri Lankan batter producing repeated contributions while the team’s lower order attempted to stay at the crease. AP’s lunch report described the partnership as an effort to build time and protect a draw, while NDTV’s series account recorded the sequence of Dinusha’s scores. The final result and complete scorecard should be checked after play ends because the match was still in progress at the time of the reports.