Galle, Sri Lanka – Sri Lanka secured a resounding victory over New Zealand in the second Test match, winning by an innings and 154 runs, thereby clinching the two-match Test series 2-0. The dominant performance saw the visitors struggling against a formidable Sri Lankan side.
Starting the fourth day of the match with a daunting target of 514 runs, New Zealand was on 199 for 5. Despite a fighting effort from Tom Blundell, who scored 60 runs, and Glenn Phillips, who contributed 78 runs, New Zealand fell apart as debutant Nishan Peiris played a starring role.
Peiris made a remarkable impact in his first Test match, dismissing Blundell early on and going on to take 5 wickets, including the key scalp of Phillips. With this feat, Peiris etched his name in the record books as the seventh Sri Lankan player to claim five wickets in a debut Test match.
Sri Lanka’s victory was built on a massive first-innings score of 602 for 5, while New Zealand collapsed for just 88 runs in their first innings. Chasing an unlikely target to avoid an innings defeat, New Zealand’s second-innings effort was halted at 360 runs.
Nishan Peiris, who also dismissed Tom Latham for a duck early in New Zealand’s second innings, proved to be a crucial figure in Sri Lanka’s dominant display. The series victory underscores the Sri Lankan team’s resurgence in Test cricket, as they continue to climb the international rankings.
With this comprehensive win, Sri Lanka have secured an emphatic series sweep, leaving New Zealand with much to ponder ahead of their future tours.
