Prabath Jayasuriya stole the show with an incredible five-wicket haul, leading Sri Lanka to a thrilling 63-run victory over New Zealand in the first Test match at Galle Ā¹ Ā² Ā³ ā“ āµ. The left-arm spinner’s magical performance on the final day wrapped up the game in just 3.4 overs, leaving the Kiwis struggling at 211 runs Ā¹ Ā².
Rachin Ravindra, New Zealand’s overnight batsman, put up a valiant fight with 92 runs, but ultimately fell to Jayasuriya’s lbw trap Ā¹ Ā². This breakthrough ended Ravindra’s resistance, and Jayasuriya quickly followed up by bowling William O’Rourke for a duck, sealing the deal for Sri Lanka Ā¹ Ā².
Jayasuriya’s impressive stats included nine wickets overall, with five in the second innings, earning him the man-of-the-match title Ā¹ Ā². His post-match comments highlighted the importance of sticking to basics and bowling with discipline on the challenging Galle pitch Ā².
The win propelled Sri Lanka to third place in the World Test Championship standings, while New Zealand dropped to fourth Ā¹. The two teams will face off again in the second Test, starting Thursday at the same venue Ā¹ Ā².
Match Highlights:
