Sri Lanka’s Big Win Over New Zealand: Captain Dhananjaya de Silva Praises Team Effort
Sri Lanka’s cricket team, led by captain Dhananjaya de Silva, achieved a significant victory over New Zealand by an innings and 154 runs in Galle. De Silva credited their success to good fortune, strategic decisions, and hard work, especially in fielding and bowling.
Match Highlights
On Sunday, Sri Lanka defeated the Black Caps (New Zealand) in the second Test at Galle. Reflecting on their performance, de Silva remarked, “Maybe luck! And I called and tossed well. Chandimal gives us a balanced side and Kamindu can play the long innings. It was brilliant.”
He also praised the efforts of his bowlers, Prabath Jayasuriya and Nishan Peiris, who delivered exceptional performances. “The way they bowled the long spells was brilliant to see,” de Silva commented. Highlighting the team’s improved fielding, de Silva acknowledged the dedication and practice that went into their preparations. “We have been practising hard, and we have been catching a lot. It has paid off,” he said.
First Innings
Sri Lanka opted to bat first. Riding on centuries from Dinesh Chandimal (116), Kamindu Mendis (182), and Kusal Mendis (106), Sri Lanka posed a massive 602/5 declared in the first innings. Glenn Phillips (3/141) was the pick of the bowlers for New Zealand.
New Zealand batters struggled on a spin-friendly surface, with Mitchell Santner (29) being the top-scorer as NZ was bundled out for just 88 runs. Spinner Prabath Jayasuriya took 6/42, and Nishan Peiris picked up 3/33 in his debut Test.
Second Innings
In their second innings, New Zealand fared slightly better, with Devon Conway (61), Kane Williamson (46), and Tom Blundell (47*) among the runs. On the fourth day, half-centuries from Blundell (60), Glenn Phillips (78), and Mitchell Santner (67) delayed the inevitable, but Sri Lanka eventually bundled out the Kiwis for 360.
In the second innings, Peiris took a six-wicket haul, getting his six scalps for 170 runs. Prabath got three wickets, and skipper Dhananjaya also chipped in with a wicket. Kamindu Mendis was given the ‘Player of the Match’ for his performance, and Prabath Jayasuriya took home the ‘Player of the Series’ honour for taking 18 wickets in the series.
Doubts Revealed
Sri Lanka -: Sri Lanka is a small island country located in the Indian Ocean, just south of India.
New Zealand -: New Zealand is a country located in the southwestern Pacific Ocean, known for its beautiful landscapes and strong cricket team.
Captain -: A captain in cricket is the leader of the team who makes important decisions during the game.
Dhananjaya de Silva -: Dhananjaya de Silva is a famous cricketer from Sri Lanka who is the captain of their national team.
Innings -: An innings in cricket is a period of play where one team bats and tries to score runs while the other team bowls and fields.
Galle -: Galle is a city in Sri Lanka where the cricket match took place.
Fielding -: Fielding in cricket means the players try to catch the ball, stop it from going to the boundary, and get the batsmen out.
Bowling -: Bowling in cricket is when a player throws the ball towards the batsman to try and get them out.
Centuries -: In cricket, a century is when a batsman scores 100 runs or more in a single innings.
Dinesh Chandimal -: Dinesh Chandimal is a cricketer from Sri Lanka who played very well in the match.
Kamindu Mendis -: Kamindu Mendis is another cricketer from Sri Lanka who scored a lot of runs and was named ‘Player of the Match’.
Kusal Mendis -: Kusal Mendis is also a cricketer from Sri Lanka who scored a century in the match.
Prabath Jayasuriya -: Prabath Jayasuriya is a bowler from Sri Lanka who performed exceptionally well and was named ‘Player of the Series’.
Nishan Peiris -: Nishan Peiris is another bowler from Sri Lanka who helped the team win with his good bowling.
Player of the Match -: The ‘Player of the Match’ is an award given to the best player in a particular game.
Player of the Series -: The ‘Player of the Series’ is an award given to the best player over a series of games.
