In a dramatic turn of events on the third day of their one-off Test against Afghanistan, Sri Lanka tumbled from 427 for six to a final total of 439. The collapse was fueled by seamer Naveed Zadran, who claimed four crucial wickets in the innings.
The turning point occurred when Chamika Gunasekara was struck on the helmet by a sharp bouncer from Naveed, the impact sending the ball racing to the boundary. Despite initially passing a concussion test, Gunasekara later complained of discomfort and retired after being examined by the physiotherapist.
Naveed’s morning spell proved decisive, removing key batsman Sadeera Samarawickrama, who fell to a sharp catch by Rahmat Shah at gully. Naveed secured his fourth wicket by dismissing Prabath Jayasuriya for two.
The 18-year-old debutant showcased impressive pace and bounce, consistently troubling the Sri Lankan lineup. Meanwhile, Nijat Masood, bowling from the other end, dismissed Asitha Fernando for a first-ball duck as Sri Lanka was bowled out for 439.
Despite Afghanistan’s quicks shining, their spin bowlers couldn’t maintain the same level of pressure. Angelo Mathews and Dinesh Chandimal stood out for Sri Lanka with scores of 141 and 107, respectively, celebrating a record-breaking 232-run partnership for the fourth wicket. The partnership surpassed the previous record set in 1992 by Arjuna Ranatunga and Asanka Gurusinha against Australia.
