Sri Lanka secures dominant victory over Afghanistan

 Sri Lanka won by 10 wickets in their one-off Test against Afghanistan at SSC Stadium in Colombo today.

 

Prabath Jayasuriya's stellar performance led the charge as he claimed his seventh five-wicket haul in Test cricket on Monday. The left-arm-spinner's impressive figures of five for 107 played a pivotal role in dismantling Afghanistan's batting lineup, restricting them to a total of 296 runs.

 

The left-arm-spinner finished with figures of five for 107 to trigger a sensational collapse on the fourth day of the one-off Test.

 

The tourists resumed on 199 for one on Monday morning, with Ibrahim Zadran reaching his maiden Test hundred and Rahmat Shah his fifth half-century, the pair adding 108 runs for the second wicket.

 

However, after Sri Lanka took the second new ball in the sixth over of the morning, the bowlers soon made short work of the visitors.

 

Kasun Rajitha made the breakthrough, dismissing Rahmat, who was caught behind with the total on 214, with Jayasuriya then taking over.

 

The tall spinner got the new ball to appreciably grip and turn off the surface.

 

Zadran had taken his overnight score of 101 to 114 when Jayasuriya bowled him through the gate with a peach of a delivery.

 

The opening batter had occupied the crease for more than six hours and faced 258 balls for his 114, which included 12 boundaries.

 

Skipper Hashmatullah Shahidi was caught behind for 18, and a terrific catch by Dhananjaya de Silva in the slips saw the back of Qais Ahmed.

 

Jayasuriya then cleaned up Zia-ur-Rehman with another arm ball.

 

Afghanistan lost six wickets for 52 runs in a session that turned the game firmly in favour of Sri Lanka.

 

The seamers backed up Jayasuriya well with some disciplined bowling as Asitha Fernando finished with three wickets and Kasun Rajitha claimed two scalps.

 

Nasir Jamal, with an unbeaten 41, stitched some useful partnerships with the tail but Afghanistan could only manage a lead of 55.