Pandya rocks Lanka with maiden ton
POWER PLAY Young allrounder smashes seven sixes in completing 86ball century, India leave hosts facing big defeat in final Test in Pallekele
The hero of the India’s bowling effort was chinaman bowler Kuldeep Yadav, who finished with figures of 13-2-40-4 in his first away Test. It was a repeat performance for Yadav, who had claimed four wickets in his debut Test, against Australia at Dharamsala in March. Mohammed Shami and R Ashwin claimed two wickets each. Captain Dinesh Chandimal was the only one to offer some resistance with 48 (87 balls), but he also got out in a tame fashion. The seventh Sri Lanka wicket to fall, Chandimal worked the ball into the hands of leg slip.
As if inspired by Pandya’s heroics, Mohammed Shami gave India a dream start. Fast and swinging the ball both ways, Shami troubled Sri Lanka’s lefthanded opening pair of Dimuth Karunaratne and Upul Tharanga with away swingers. On the third ball of his second over, Shami had Tharanga playing a ball outside off-stump and the thin edge was well taken by wicket-keeper Saha. Two overs later, Karunaratne too was consumed with a similar delivery.
Their misery was complete when in-form batsman Kusal Mendis was run-out by a brilliant effort from R Ashwin. Four balls after the run out, Angelo Mathews was also walking back.
The rout was complete when Niroshan Dickwella and Dilruwan Perera fell to reckless shots. And India had no hesitation in asking Sri Lanka to bat again, and go for the kill.