Chandimal and Karunaratne Steady Sri Lanka After Early Setback Dinesh Chandimal and Dimuth Karunaratne steadied Sri Lanka’s innings after an early loss, providing a solid start against Australia in the first innings of the ongoing Test in Galle. Captain Dhananjaya de Silva opted to bat first after winning the toss, looking to avoid the top-order…
Dinesh Chandimal and Dimuth Karunaratne steadied Sri Lanka’s innings after an early loss, providing a solid start against Australia in the first innings of the ongoing Test in Galle. Captain Dhananjaya de Silva opted to bat first after winning the toss, looking to avoid the top-order collapse that hurt Sri Lanka in the previous match.
Pathum Nissanka, replacing Oshada Fernando, was dismissed cheaply, but the experienced pair of Chandimal and Karunaratne dug in, ensuring no further damage before Lunch. The duo guided Sri Lanka to 87/1, leaving the hosts in a strong position at the break.
The wicket, already showing visible cracks, prompted Australia to start with left-arm spinner Matthew Kuhnemann. However, it was Nathan Lyon, brought into the attack early by captain Steve Smith, who struck in the eighth over. Nissanka attempted a sweep against the off-spinner but missed, seeing his stumps rearranged.
Karunaratne, playing in his 100th and final Test, joined Chandimal, and together they weathered the early storm. Both batters were solid in their defense, with Chandimal using his feet well against the spinners. The pair’s unbroken stand of 64 runs provided much-needed stability and ensured Sri Lanka went to Lunch without further setbacks.
Sri Lanka will look to build on this foundation as they aim to avoid a repeat of their previous match’s collapse.
Brief Scores: Sri Lanka 87/1 (Dinesh Chandimal 35*, Dimuth Karunaratne 34*; Nathan Lyon 1-19) vs Australia