Devashish Fuloria, in ESPNcricinfo, http://www.espncricinfo.com/sri-lanka-v-pakistan-2015/engine/match/860265.html
Superb win for Sri Lanka here. The circus moves on to Pallekele where Sri Lanka will be without Sangakkara and Pakistan will be without Wahab Riaz. This series is shaping up really well for the finale. Thanks for all the comments and feedback. Please also keep an eye on all the analysis and reports from Andrew Fernando and Umar Farooq. This is Devashish Fuloria signing off, ciao ciao.
“The boys showed a lot of character after the defeat in Galle,” says Angelo Mathews. “We wanted to bat positively because we were not sure about the rain. So we gave green signal to play positively. It’s easy to get bogged down. The conditions were helpful, I liked bowling here. Kushal Silva is playing the anchor role and others are playing around him.”
Sri Lanka’s cricketer Dhammika Prasad (C) celebrates with wicketkeeper Dinesh Chandimal (L) the wicket of Pakistan cricketer Sarfraz Ahmed (R) during the fourth day of their second test match between Sri Lanka and Pakistan at the P. Sara Oval Cricket Stadium in Colombo on June 28, 2015. AFP PHOTO / LAKRUWAN WANNIARACHCHI (Photo credit should read LAKRUWAN WANNIARACHCHI/AFP/Getty Images)
Dhammika Prasad is the ‘Smart player of the Match’ and the Man of the Match. “It was a great match because we came as underdogs,” he says. “I am really happy with the way we played. I tried to bowl in good areas. We had a plan before this game and I executed it very well. “
“The session from lunch to tea really dented as on the first day,” says Misbah. “We lost all our best batsmen during that period. That was I think the main difference in the Test match. It’s really big worry for us that we put up really big scores in the first Test but in the second Test we were dismissed from 70 for 2 to 138. We really need to play the first innings well. Azhar Ali is improving every game, and Yasir Shah, nine matches, 50 wickets, and he is making a difference too. The injury to Wahab Riaz is a big blow.”
Sri Lankan cricketer Dimuth Karunaratne plays a shot during the opening day of the second Test between Sri Lanka and Pakistan at the P. Sara Oval Cricket Stadium in Colombo on June 25, 2015. AFP PHOTO / LAKRUWAN WANNIARACHCHI (Photo credit should read LAKRUWAN WANNIARACHCHI/AFP/Getty Images)
DanielAlexander: “This is Sri Lanka’s 50th Test win at home, Congratulations “
Pranay: “@Fullo: Any guesses for MOM. My bet is on Prasad.” — Mausi, definitely Prasad for me. It was set up by him.
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Rex Clementine: “Sri Lanka square series with seven wicket win,” in The Island, 30 June 2015
Sri Lanka bagged the second Test against Pakistan comfortably by seven wickets to square the three match series 1-1 before lunch on the final day of the game at P. Sara Oval yesterday. With rain and bad light washing out the last session of fourth day’s play and rain clouds threatening to spoil the final day, there were concerns that the home team will have to travel to Kandy still trailing the series.
Sri Lanka started off the run chase in positive fashion and the skies cleared to enable a result as the hosts chased the target of 153 with just three wickets down going at a run rate of 5.7.
The Sri Lankans opened batting with Dimuth Karunaratne and Kithruwan Vithanage with the latter given license to go after the bowling. Vithanage started off by flicking the first ball he faced to four. In the next over, he pulled Junaid for another four and was ruthless against the left-arm spin of Zulfiqar Babar, whom he hit for consecutive sixes before falling in the last delivery of that over.
There was some drama as star batsman Kumar Sangakkara fell for a first ball duck gloving a Yasir Shah delivery to the short leg fielder to make it 49 for two.Skipper Angelo Mathews steadied the Sri Lankan innings together with Dimuth Karunaratne adding 72 runs for the third wicket off just 69 deliveries to calm things down. Mathews handled Yasir’s leg-spin confidently using his feet. Yasir dismissed Karunaratne soon after he completed his half-century. The batsman unsuccessfully challenged the leg before wicket decision.
Vice-captain Lahiru Thirimanne and Mathews knocked off the remaining 32 runs without further drama as Sri Lanka squared the series.
Fast bowler Dhammika Prasad, who finished with seven wickets and bowled impressively throughout the game, was named the Man of the Match. This was the 32-year-old’s first Man of the Match performance. Debutant Dushmantha Chameera too had a good game bowling at a lively pace. The 23-year-old was troubled by a side-strain and Sri Lanka are awaiting medical reports to decide on his participation for the deciding final Test at Pallekele.
The win was Sri Lanka’s first win at P. Sara Oval after losing three straight Tests here to India, England and New Zealand. It was Sri Lanka’s first win at the ground since 2009. Sri Lanka will not have the services of Sangakkara for the final Test that starts on Friday.