Sri Lanka put themselves in a good position on the third day of the opening Test against New Zealand after Dimuth Karunaratne and Dinesh Chandimal made half-centuries but the hosts lost some of their momentum to reach 237-4 at stumps in Galle on Friday.
Dinesh Chandimal smashed 118 not out and Kamindu Mendis produced a half-century in his debut Test to help Sri Lanka eclipse Australia's first innings 364 on day three of the second Test in Galle on Sunday.
Sri Lankan batter Dimuth Karunaratne is set to retire from international cricket after playing his 100th Test -- the second and final Test against Australia, starting in Galle on Thursday.
After snaring two wickets, Shakib returned to score a 65-ball 82 to lead his side to their second victory in the tournament.
If we click, we can do anything, says Angelo Mathews .
Sri Lanka are no pushovers but they have faltered more often than not in this World Cup after an superlative show in the qualification round.
Sri Lankan skipper Wanindu Hasaranga admitted his team's shortcomings led to their early exit from the T20 World Cup 2024, despite a convincing win over Netherlands in their final group stage match.
Victory left New Zealand on 10 points and in pole position to bag the last semi-final spot and join India, South Africa and Australia. Pakistan will now need to beat England by a massive margin to leapfrog New Zealand on net run rate.
Nissanka had featured in a 41-run opening partnership with Dimuth Karunaratne, who scored 20 before being undone by a rising delivery from Kagiso Rabada that forced an edge behind to wicketkeeper Kyle Verreynne.
Binura Fernando, Pramod Madushan, Dushan Hemantha back in Sri Lanka squad
Sri Lanka named a 16-member team for the upcoming Test series against India with uncapped 23-year-old fast bowler Vishwa Fernando the only fresh face picked by the national selectors.
Cricket legends around the world have paid their tributes to the retiring South African great Jacques Kallis, with former Pakistani coach and fast bowler Waqar Younis and Sri Lankan captain Angelo Mathews leading the pack.
Sri Lanka took complete control of the second Test against New Zealand on Friday as batting sensation Kamindu Mendis scored the fifth century of his young career and helped the hosts post a mammoth 602-5 declared on day two in Galle.
Rajneesh Gupta presents some interesting numbers from Day 3.
Sri Lanka's Tillakaratne Dilshan, who has just retired from ODI cricket, suggested he did not have enough support from his team-mates during his 10-month stint as captain and was "hurt" by the manner in which he was removed from the post. Addressing the post-match press conference after the loss to Australia in the third ODI last night, Dilshan lamented that two former captains gave him no support when he assumed captaincy in 2011.
Also returning to the 15-man squad, which will also take part in the upcoming Asia Cup tournament before the March 8-April 3 World Twenty20, was all-rounder Angelo Mathews.
Factbox on World Cup match between New Zealand and Sri Lanka at Hagley Oval.
Henry Shipley claimed a career-best 5/31 to dismantle Sri Lanka as New Zealand steamrolled the tourists by 198 runs in the first ODI.
Sri Lanka have dropped Test spinners Rangana Herath and Tharindu Kaushal from their One-day squad for the five-match series against Pakistan starting on Saturday.
Sri Lanka Skipper Angelo Mathews said losing the toss and explosive batsman Tillakaratne Dilshan's injury were the key factors in the team's eight-wicket loss to India in the ICC Champions Trophy semi-final in Cardiff.
IMAGES from the ICC World Cup match played between India and Sri Lanka at Headingley, Leeds, on Saturday
Gus Atkinson scored a superb maiden century as England's lower order collected quick runs against a ragged Sri Lanka bowling attack to post 427
Sri Lanka's Dunith Wellalage and Harshitha Samarawickrama were named as the ICC Players of the Month for August 2024.
Tim Southee's prophecy before the start of the first Test against Sri Lanka came true on the opening day of the match as he took his eighth five-wicket haul at the Basin Reserve on Saturday.
Sri Lanka will start next month's Champions Trophy as underdogs but are confident they have the quality to compete for the title, captain Angelo Mathews said on Thursday.
Another Sri Lankan batter made his way to the record books with Dimuth Karunaratne...
A look at 7 memorable moments of World Cup 2023.
In-form Sri Lanka right-hander Kamindu Mendis is another player on the move, with the 26-year-old improving five places to 11th and reaching a new career-high rating after he scored another century in the second Test of his side's recent series with New Zealand.
IMAGES from Day 3 of the second Test between England and Sri Lanka, at Lord's, on Saturday.
England captain Alastair Cook and Sri Lanka captain Angelo Mathews also joined in to pay their respects to Phillip Hughes.
Twenty20 cricket is money-spinning and popular but for Sri Lankan captain Angelo Mathews, nothing comes close to the thrill of playing Test cricket.
Sri Lanka's decision to bat first backfired when they were all out for 236 on Day 1 of the first Test.
Images from Day 3 of the 1st Test at Eden Gardens in Kolkata on Saturday
Former skipper Arjuna Ranatunga says Sri Lanka was right in running-out England's Jos Buttler, but felt the batsman should have been recalled in the spirit of the game.
Cricketers like Mahela Jayawardene come around very rarely and younger players in the team have a lot to learn from his fighting attitude, Sri Lanka captain Angelo Mathews said.
India played the tournament's best cricket for nearly six weeks but it was the familiar sight of Australia celebrating with the trophy as fireworks exploded overhead when the 13th edition of the World Cup came to a close on Sunday.
After the stumps on Day 2, Sri Lanka's score read 108/4 as they are trailing India by 466 runs.
Sri Lanka captain Angelo Mathews said on Wednesday that he has gone down on his knees to beg record-breaking batsman Kumar Sangakkara not to quit after the World Cup. Sangakkara, 37, will call time on his ODI career at the end of the tournament but he is still in a rich vein of form.
Heaping praise on Lahiru Thirimanne for his match-winning hundred against Pakistan in the final Sri Lanka captain Angelo Mathews said the youngster is find of the tournament for them.
Angelo Mathews moved to within 15 runs of a maiden Test century as Sri Lanka steadily extended their first innings lead against Australia in the third and final Test on Sunday.
