Sri Lanka end Day 4 at 229/6, leading India by 16 runs
Pasindu Sooriyabandara scored 92, while Kamindu Mendis made 55
India need four wickets to wrap up the innings, with rain threatening Day 5
IND Vs SL 2nd Test: Rain Halts India’s Charge As Sri Lanka Take 16 Run Lead On Day 4
Sri Lanka ended Day 4 at 229/6, taking a 16-run lead after India enforced the follow-on. Pasindu Sooriyabandara’s 92 and Kamindu Mendis’ 55 provided strong resistance, but India struck three times in the final session before rain ended play. The visitors now need four wickets on Day 5 to finish the job
Summary
India strengthened their position in the second Test despite rain cutting short Day 4, with Sri Lanka reaching 229/6 in their second innings to take a 16-run lead.
The hosts were left four wickets away from being bowled out when heavy rain and poor light forced an early finish, setting up a potentially decisive final day.
Sri Lanka's morning began with a bright moment as Sonal Dinusha completed a memorable century. Starting the day on 85, he attacked the Indian spinners and moved into the 90s before sealing his second hundred of the series with a powerful pull against Prasidh Krishna.
His innings helped Sri Lanka put up a stronger fight after they had been bowled out for 290 in their first innings, 213 runs short of India's total.
The real resistance came later through Pasindu Sooriyabandara and Kamindu Mendis. With Sri Lanka wobbling at 63/2, the two batters counterattacked instead of allowing India to dictate terms.
They added 115 runs, with Mendis taking on Manav Suthar for two sixes and Sooriyabandara also finding the boundary against the spinner. Both reached their fifties, and Sri Lanka went into tea at 199/3, having wiped out their first-innings deficit and moved into the lead.
India, however, produced a crucial late surge. Prasidh Krishna ended the partnership by getting Mendis to mistime a short delivery, with Shubman Gill completing a sharp running catch.
Suthar then removed captain Dhananjaya de Silva, before Sooriyabandara's outstanding 92 came to an abrupt end when he charged down the pitch and was stumped by Rishabh Pant. Saransh Jain added another blow by dismissing Niroshan Dickwella, leaving Sri Lanka six down.
Just as India looked set to attack the tail, the weather intervened. Heavy rain arrived at 4:37pm and made a restart impossible, bringing the day to a premature close.
Sri Lanka's lead is only 16 runs, and India need four more wickets to take control of the match. With the second new ball close at hand, the visitors will fancy their chances of finishing the job on Day 5, although the forecast could once again prove decisive.
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