India defeated Sri Lanka by 165 runs in the first Test at the Galle International Stadium on Wednesday to take a 1-0 lead in the two-match series.
Chasing a target of 372, Sri Lanka were bowled out for 206 on a deteriorating fifth-day pitch. Captain Dhananjaya de Silva top-scored with 59 off 151 balls, while Sonal Dinusha followed his first-innings century with a fighting 84.
The hosts resumed the second session at 175/6, needing 197 more runs for victory. Dinusha and Keshara Nuwantha added 24 runs before India’s Manav Suthar turned the match decisively in his team’s favour.
Suthar struck three times in the 76th over, dismissing Dinusha, Prabath Jayasuriya and Lahiru Kumara in quick succession. He then returned in the following over to remove Nuwantha for 20, completing Sri Lanka’s innings and sealing India’s 165-run victory.
The performance gave Suthar six wickets in Sri Lanka’s second innings and a maiden 10-wicket haul in Test cricket. Remarkably, the achievement came in only his second Test match.
Suthar’s outstanding spell proved decisive as India wrapped up a convincing victory in Galle and began the two-Test series on a winning note.
Scorecard
IND – 462 &193
SL – 284 &206
