Sri Lanka emerged triumphant with a commanding 10-wicket victory over Afghanistan in their one-off Test match held at the SSC Stadium in Colombo today.
Prabath Jayasuriya emerged as the standout performer, showcasing his bowling prowess by claiming his seventh five-wicket haul in Test cricket on Monday. The left-arm spinner's remarkable figures of five for 107 played a pivotal role in dismantling Afghanistan's batting lineup, limiting them to a total of 296 runs.
The tourists began the fourth day's play at 199 for one, with Ibrahim Zadran securing his maiden Test hundred and Rahmat Shah notching his fifth half-century. The pair added 108 runs for the second wicket before Sri Lanka took the second new ball in the sixth over of the morning, setting the stage for a dramatic turn of events.
Kasun Rajitha initiated the breakthrough by dismissing Rahmat, caught behind with the total on 214, paving the way for Jayasuriya's dominance.
Jayasuriya's skillful spin troubled the Afghan batters as he efficiently exploited the surface, claiming crucial wickets including that of Zadran, who fell victim to a splendid delivery.
Despite Zadran's resilient innings of 114 runs, lasting over six hours and including 12 boundaries, Sri Lanka's bowling attack led by Jayasuriya, along with disciplined support from seamers Asitha Fernando and Kasun Rajitha, proved too formidable for Afghanistan.
Afghanistan's innings crumbled under pressure, losing six wickets for 52 runs in a session, significantly shifting the game in favor of Sri Lanka. While Nasir Jamal's unbeaten 41 provided some resistance, Afghanistan could only manage a lead of 55 runs.
With a stellar bowling performance and resilient batting, Sri Lanka secured a comprehensive victory, reaffirming their dominance in the one-off Test against Afghanistan.
