Sri Lanka highlighted by completing a 2-0 Test series whitewash New Zealandshowing his all-round brilliance with bat and ball. The hosts dominated both Tests and put on a particularly clinical display in the second matchwith Kamindu Mendis, Prabath Jayasuriya and Nishan Peiris presents outstanding performances. Fans took to social media to praise Sri Lanka’s commanding performance, hailing the emergence of new stars and the all-round effort.
Sri Lanka’s batting is firing on all cylinders
Winning the toss and electing to bat first in the Second Test, Sri Lanka laid a magnificent foundation with an impressive first innings score of 602 runs. fireplace, Kusal Mendisand Dinesh Chandimal all sparkled with magnificent centuries, showcasing the depth and solidity in Sri Lanka’s batting line-up. Kamindu continued his dream run to reach 1000 Test runs in just 13 innings, joining the elite club of cricketers who have reached the milestone quickly. His consistency at the crease and his ability to close the innings made him a key player for Sri Lanka.
Chandimal and Kusal’s support further strengthened Sri Lanka’s position in the game and top-class batting ensured the hosts were in complete control from the outset. A huge first innings put New Zealand under huge pressure and set the stage for the bowlers.
New Zealand collapsing under pressure in the first innings
In reply, New Zealand’s batting line-up deteriorated and were folded for just 88 runs in their first innings. The visitors struggled to adapt to the turning lane, with the Sri Lankan bowlers exploiting every weakness. Jayasuriya was instrumental in dismantling the New Zealand batting order and amassing a five-wicket haul that crushed the visitors. The ability to turn the ball and anticipate shots was on full display as Sri Lanka continued to be a vital asset to the bowling attack.
Nishan also played a key role complementing Jayasuriya’s efforts with consistent and accurate bowling. His contributions were crucial to New Zealand’s inability to recover from early setbacks. Unable to find an answer to Sri Lanka’s spin advantage, the Kiwi batsmen succumbed to panic and poor batting selection, which added to their woes.
Improved resistance from New Zealand
With New Zealand’s first innings collapse, Sri Lanka applied the follow-on without hesitation. However, the visitors showed better application in the second innings, determined to fight back and avoid an innings defeat. An opener Devon Conway He led the opposition with an aggressive approach, scoring valuable runs at the top to help New Zealand fight more competitively.
Despite Conway’s efforts, wickets continued to fall at regular intervals and New Zealand looked set for another collapse. However, Glenn Phillips and Tom Blundell showed courage and patience, creating a vital partnership that gave the visitors some hope. Rain and poor light forced an early end to play on Day 4, giving New Zealand a brief respite.
When play resumes on Day 5, Mitchell Santner showing tenacity with the bat, he scored a fighting half-century that pushed the game into the second session. Santner’s tenacious batting, coupled with support from the lower order, gave New Zealand a chance to extend the match. However, Nishan emerged as Sri Lanka’s hero and claimed six wickets in the second innings to end New Zealand’s resistance. Nisha’s impressive performance with the ball underlined his potential as a rising star in Sri Lankan cricket as he constantly troubled the Kiwi batsmen with his variation and accuracy.
Also WATCH: SL vs NZ – Prabath Jayasuriya’s spin masterclass helps Sri Lanka dominate New Zealand in second Test.
Sri Lanka’s proposals and New Zealand’s concerns
The series win provided a number of positives for Sri Lanka, including the emergence of new talent and depth in both their batting and bowling departments. Kamindu’s excellent form with the bat is a promising sign for Sri Lanka’s future as he continues to establish himself as a reliable batsman. Led by Jayasuriya and supported by Nishan, the spin bowling department proved to be a potent weapon in home conditions and posed significant challenges for the New Zealand batsmen. Jayasuriya’s consistency and Nisha’s rise have given Sri Lanka a formidable spin duo capable of challenging any team, especially on the return tracks.
On the other hand, New Zealand have a lot to think about as they prepare for the upcoming three-match Test series in India. Their batting line-up has struggled to cope with the spin conditions in Sri Lanka and the problem will be exacerbated when they face India. The Kiwi batsmen will have to find ways to improve their technique against quality spin as their inability to form partnerships and counter the spinning ball has been evident throughout the series. The team’s management must work on addressing these weaknesses quickly if they hope to be competitive in India.
Fans celebrate Sri Lanka’s victory
After the 2-0 series win, Sri Lankan fans took to social media to celebrate the team’s outstanding performance. Many praised Kamindu for his consistency and ability to perform under pressure, while others highlighted the exceptional performances of Jayasuriya and Nisha who were instrumental in securing the series win. The convincing nature of the win raised hopes among fans about Sri Lanka’s potential to do well in the upcoming challenges.
Meanwhile, New Zealand supporters have expressed concerns about the team’s batting struggles and the need for significant improvements ahead of their next assignment in India. The series highlighted the key areas the Kiwis need to work on, particularly their ability to spin in tough conditions.
Here’s how the fans reacted:
Big win for Sri Lanka in Galle 💪#WTC25 | #SLvNZ 📝: https://t.co/MBQXWEOCeW pic.twitter.com/Uo6TmIdocc
— ICC (@ICC) September 29, 2024
Kamindu Mendis – becoming great
— Kumar Sangakkara (@KumarSanga2) September 27, 2024
Sri Lanka are third in the World Test Championship with 55.56% after their historic win over New Zealand in the 2nd Test at Galle today. #LKA #SriLanka #SLvNZ pic.twitter.com/OlVZtTu0fG
— Sri Lanka Tweet 🇱🇰 (@SriLankaTweet) September 29, 2024
An innings after lunch and a 154-run win for the hosts on Day 4 of the 2nd Test at Galle. They claim the series 2-0. Evaluation | https://t.co/95L7AvreDq #SLvNZ 📷 = SLC pic.twitter.com/tcm5cgkMcL
— BLACKCAPS (@BLACKCAPS) September 29, 2024
– Won the ODI series against India after 27 years
– After 10 years, he won a test match in England
– Won the Test series against New Zealand after 15 yearsSanath Jayasuriya is world class as head coach of Sri Lanka 🇱🇰❤️❤️#SLvNZ #not found #Don’tStopBroadcasting pic.twitter.com/anrUjAmxRF
— Farid Khan (@_FaridKhan) September 29, 2024
𝗧𝗛𝗘 𝗦𝗧𝗥𝗘𝗔𝗞 𝗛𝗔𝗦 𝗕𝗘𝗘𝗡 𝗕𝗥𝗨𝗞𝗘𝗡! 👊
Sri Lanka won their first Test series against New Zealand since 2009. #SLvNZ
– I’m happy to see the lions back. 🦁 pic.twitter.com/HmHIHSbUBj
— Thurunu Jayasiri (@ThurunuJ) September 29, 2024
Kamindu Mendis was named the best player of the match#SLvNZ #Test #KaminduMendis #CricketTwitter pic.twitter.com/wbyqut0RVl
— CricketTimes.com (@CricketTimesHQ) September 29, 2024
I haven’t seen New Zealand play this badly in a long time #SLvNZ #not found #Don’tStopBroadcasting pic.twitter.com/boNq8OWIeS
— Abdul Ghaffar 🇵🇰 (@GhaffarDawnNews) September 29, 2024
SRI LANKA BEAT NEW ZEALAND IN TEST SERIES AFTER 15 YEARS
2009 : Sri Lanka beat New Zealand 2-0 in Test series !!
2024 : Sri Lanka beat New Zealand 2-0 in test series !! #SLvsNZ#SLvNZ #TestCricket #SrilankaCricket #SLC #KaminduMendis #PrabatbJaysuriya pic.twitter.com/3bkjEZALfN
— Priyanshu Kumar (@priyanshusports) September 29, 2024
Great champions
Sri Lanka won a test series against New Zealand after 15 long years. History is written in Galle 🇱🇰🔥🔥#SLvNZ pic.twitter.com/1E6EMXfFuR
— Tripurari Chaudhary (@TipsChaudhary) September 29, 2024