Sonal Dinusha has scored a century in both innings of the second Test against India in Colombo, writing his name into a short list of batters to have done so against them.
On the fifth day he reached his second hundred of the match off 197 balls in Sri Lanka’s second innings. In the first innings he had made 103, and he had also scored a hundred in the opening Test of the series, giving him three centuries in the two matches.
A rare club
Dinusha is only the 12th batter to score hundreds in both innings of a Test against India, and the second since 2015 after England’s Jonny Bairstow, who made 106 and an unbeaten 114 at Edgbaston in 2022. His company includes Jacques Kallis, Hashim Amla, Younis Khan, Marnus Labuschagne and Kane Williamson. He is the third Sri Lankan on the list, after Aravinda de Silva and Kumar Sangakkara.
How the match unfolded
India declared their first innings at 503/9. Devdutt Padikkal made 117, Dhruv Jurel finished unbeaten on 115, and Rishabh Pant added a rapid 63.
Sri Lanka were bowled out for 290, 213 runs behind, with Dinusha’s century the standout. Made to follow on, they batted with more resistance second time round. Pasindu Sooriyabandara scored 92 and Dinusha held the innings together with the lower order.
Rain brought an early end to day four with Sri Lanka on 229/6. On the last day Dinusha completed his second hundred of the game.
