Sri Lankan spinner Prabhat Jayasuriya delivered a match-winning performance in the first Test against New Zealand, securing a 63-run victory for his team at the Galle International Stadium.
Jayasuriya took an impressive nine wickets in the match, earning him the well-deserved Player of the Match award.
In the post-match presentation, Jayasuriya credited his success to sticking to the basics and avoiding unnecessary experimentation. He shared that he has a special affinity for the Galle pitch, where he consistently focuses on maintaining a steady line and length, which paid off during this Test.
He said, “Normally, I just do the basic things, and mainly I don’t experiment during the game. I like this Galle pitch.”
Jayasuriya’s critical breakthrough came when he dismissed Rachin Ravindra, which helped Sri Lanka regain control of the match. He went on to take a five-wicket haul in the second innings, capping it off by dismissing William O’Rourke for a duck, ending the match with figures of 9/204.
Earlier in the match, Kamindu Mendis played a crucial role with the bat for Sri Lanka, scoring a brilliant 114 and helping the team post a total of 305. New Zealand responded with 340, with contributions from Tom Latham (70) and Kane Williamson (55), giving them a 35-run lead. In Sri Lanka’s second innings, Dimuth Karunaratne (83) and Dinesh Chandimal (61) guided the team to a competitive total, setting a target of 275 for the Kiwis.
New Zealand, however, fell short, being bowled out for 211. Jayasuriya’s brilliant spell played a key role in securing Sri Lanka’s victory and putting them 1-0 up in the series.
