Tuesday 18 / August / 2026
Galle : Sri Lanka lost four early wickets in the third session on Day 4 while chasing a big target of 372 runs against India at the Galle International Stadium here on Tuesday.
The centurion of the first innings, Sonal Dinusha, is unbeaten on 25 with the skipper Dhananjaya de Silva (31 not out) as the hosts are looking to make 288 more runs to win this match as play resumes on the final day.
Day 4 started with India batting in their second innings with a big lead of 178 runs. Yashasvi Jaiswal lost his wicket for a duck in the first over of the day when Asitha Fernando got him caught behind.
KL Rahul added 65 runs for the second wicket with Devdutt Padikkal, but Prabath Jayasuriya broke that partnership. Rahul made 35 with the help of a couple of sixes and as many fours.
Jayasuriya also dismissed the Indian skipper with an LBW after he made eight runs.
Rishabh Pant joined Padikkal and started to attack, but Padikkal lost his wicket at the score of 44 runs.
Pant made a 54-run partnership with Ravindra Jadeja and completed his half-century comfortably. He also became the first Indian batter to hit 100 sixes in Test cricket. His 66-run knock came in just 69 deliveries with the help of eight fours and two sixes.
No other batter scored in double digits, and India lost all their wickets at 193 within 49 overs, which gave the hosts a big target of 372 runs to chase.
The Lankans came to bat after Tea break and lost four quick wickets. Manav Suthar struck twice, whereas Mohammed Siraj and Prasidh Krishna got one wicket each for India.
Now, as the match is set to reach Day 5, India need six more wickets, whereas the hosts are aiming for 288 more runs to win this match or play out all three sessions on the final day for a high-effort draw.
