Sri Lanka’s Dinesh Chandimal led the charge for the hosts on the opening day of the second Test against New Zealand by scoring 116 runs. Chandimal, along with partnerships with Dimuth Karunaratne and Angelow Mathews, helped Sri Lanka reach a commanding total of 306 for three at the end of the day’s play. Despite losing opener Pathum Nissanka early on, Chandimal’s 16th Test century ensured that Sri Lanka stayed on track for a big first innings total.
Mathews was unbeaten on 78 runs at stumps, with Kamindu Mendis also contributing with 51 runs. Kamindu’s innings made him the first batter to score a half-century in each of his first eight Test matches, showcasing his form and consistency. New Zealand captain Tim Southee made an early breakthrough by dismissing Nissanka, but the visitors struggled to maintain pressure throughout the day.
Karunaratne received two lucky breaks during his innings, surviving a dropped catch and a stumping opportunity. As Chandimal settled into his innings after being promoted to number three, he grew in confidence and built a solid partnership of 122 runs with Karunaratne for the second wicket. Unfortunately, Karunaratne fell short of his fifty after being run out in a mix-up with Chandimal.
Chandimal, however, continued to anchor the innings and reached his maiden Test hundred against New Zealand. He was eventually dismissed by Graham Phillip, but not before ensuring that Sri Lanka had a strong foundation. New Zealand displayed uncharacteristic sloppiness in the field, with Daryl Mitchell missing a crucial catch and Mathews getting reprieves due to a no-ball and a dropped catch in the slip.
Overall, Sri Lanka’s strong batting performance on the first day of the second Test put them in a commanding position against New Zealand. With Chandimal leading the charge and contributing significantly, the hosts will be looking to build on their strong start and set a challenging target for the visitors in the remaining days of the Test match. The partnerships forged by Chandimal with Karunaratne and Mathews played a crucial role in setting up Sri Lanka for success, and the team will be eager to capitalize on their good start.
