LNP - Sri Lanka climbs to 3rd in WTC table, boost chances of title clash qualification

A stunning 2-0 series win over New Zealand following a massive win by an innings and 154 runs in the second Test at Galle has pushed Sri Lanka up to number three in the ICC World Championship (WTC) 2023-25 standings.  Now, Sri Lanka has five wins and four losses in nine Tests. They have a point percentage (PCT) of 55.56 percent, which is not very far from Australia, which sits at second place with a PCT of 62.50 after eight wins, three losses, and a draw in 12 Tests.  India is at the top with seven wins, two losses, and a draw with a PCT of 71.67. New Zealand has slipped to seventh place with three wins and five losses in eight Tests, with a PCT of 37.50. Sri Lanka has four Tests left, two against South Africa away from home in November-December this year and two home Tests against Australia in January-February next year, as per Wisden. To make it to the top two, Sri Lanka must finish with a PCT higher than either India or Australia.  Overtaking Australia would be much easier since they are below India in the table and them playing Tests against Sri Lanka would help the island nation a lot in impact the point percentage if they win the series.  Coming to the match, Sri Lanka opted to bat first. Centuries came from Dinesh Chandimal (116 in 208 balls, with 15 fours), Kamindu Mendis (182 in 250 balls, with 16 fours and four sixes) and Kusal Mendis (106 in 49 balls, with six fours and three sixes). It pushed SL to 602/5 declared in the first innings, batting for almost two days. Glenn Phillips (3/141) was the pick of the bowlers for NZ. If Sri Lanka had pulled off a batting marathon, New Zealand batters struggled on a spin-friendly surface. Catches to skipper Dhananjaya de Silva came in plenty as deliveries edged the bat of Kiwi players consistently and beat them consistently. Mitchell Santner (29 in 51 balls, with four boundaries and a six) was the top-scorer as NZ was bundled out for just 88 runs in 39.5 overs. Only two players could cross the 10-run mark. Spinner Prabath Jayasuriya continued his love affair with Galle, taking 6/42 and his eighth five-wicket haul at the venue. Nishan Peiris, another spinner in the squad, picked up 3/33 in his debut Test.
Sri Lanka led by 514 runs, the fifth-highest ever first-inning lead in Test cricket history. In their second innings, the Kiwis fared slightly better. Devon Conway (61 in 62 balls, with 10 fours and a six) made a return-to-form fifty, and Kane Williamson (46 in 58 balls, with four boundaries), Tom Blundell (47*), were among the runs, finishing day three at 199/5, trailed by 315 runs. On the fourth day, half-centuries did come from Blundell (60 in 64 balls, with six fours and two sixes), Glenn Phillips (78 in 99 balls, with six fours and three sixes) and Mitchell Santner (67 in 115 balls, with six fours and three sixes). Phillips-Santner and Santner-Ajaz Patel (22) did put half-century stands but it just delayed the inevitable, a defeat. SL bundled out the Kiwis for 360 and won the match by an innings and 154 runs. In the second innings, Peiris took a six-wicket haul, getting his six scalps for 170 runs in 33.4 overs. Prabath got three wickets. Skipper Dhananjaya also chipped in with a wicket. Kamindu was given the ‘Player of the Match’ for his performance. Prabath took home the ‘Player of the Series’ honour for taking 18 wickets in the series. Source: Zee News --Agencies