Jayasuriya five-for ties the bow around Sri Lanka's victory
They needed less than half an hour on the fourth morning to take the last four Bangladesh wickets
Madushka Balasuriya
28-Jun-2025 • 7 hrs ago
Prabath Jayasuriya picked up his 12th Test match five-wicket haul • Associated Press
Sri Lanka 458 (Nissanka 158, Chandimal 93, Kusal 84, Taijul 5-131) beat Bangladesh 247 (Shadman 46, Dinusha 3-22, Asitha 3-51) and 133 (Mushfiqur 26, Jayasuriya 5-56) by an innings and 78 runs
Sri Lanka needed just 28 minutes on the fourth morning to pick up the final four Bangladesh wickets, and with it wrap up a win by an innings and 78 runs. It was Sri Lanka's ninth innings-victory over Bangladesh, which gave them the series 1-0 and also some crucial World Test Championship points.
Prabath Jayasuriya did the bulk of the damage - with some handy assists from wicketkeeper Kusal Mendis, who had been off the field the previous day nursing a sore shoulder - picking up figures of 5 for 56, his 12th five-wicket haul in Tests.
It took just three deliveries into his first over of the day for Jayasuriya to take Litton Das' edge on the forward defence, with Kusal holding on to a sharp chance. Then in his next over, he had Nayeem Hasan attempting to drive one tossed up on off, only for it to dip and rip past him. Nayeem, who had slid his back foot out of the crease in the process, was unable to get back before Kusal flicked the bails off.
Jayasuriya completed his five-for pouching a return catch to his right, as Taijul Islam got a leading edge looking to work one through midwicket. Tharindu Ratnayake got in on the act then, trapping Ebadot Hossain in front of middle the very next over, as Bangladesh folded 34 balls into the morning session.
It was Jayasuriya's best against Bangladesh, a welcome return for Sri Lanka's lead spinner who had gone wicketless in the first innings, and struck just once in Galle.
In total, nine wickets fell in the innings to spin, with Tharindu and Dhananjaya de Silva sharing two apiece to go with Jayasuriya's five. Bangladesh though will no doubt feel this was a game they lost control of in the first innings itself, when a sub-par batting effort - followed by some loose bowling - allowed Sri Lanka to take a commanding grip of proceedings.
While the spinners wrapped things up for the hosts, it was Pathum Nissanka that was named Player of the Match for his match-winning 158 off 254 deliveries. Nissanka also clinched the Player of the Series award following his 187 in the first Test.