Sri Lanka vs Pakistan, 2nd Test at Galle, SL v PAK, Jul 24 2022 - Ball by Ball Commentary

Right, so the series that went down to the last day of the last Test ends one-one. Hope you enjoyed our coverage as much as we enjoyed brining it to you. But that's all from us for now. Goodbye

Dimuth Karunaratne: Someone has to put their hands up. It was my time to build partnerships so I did that. I think as a team we are playing really well. As a team we came back strongly, much like in the Australia series. I think before we called up Prabath (Jayasuriya) we played the NSL series and I saw his potential and that's why we brought him. Angie (Angelo Mathews) and myself are playing from under-15 school days. He has matured, he always supports me. It's a real good achievement to play 100 Tests, specially since he started as an allrounder and now plays as a batsman.

Babar Azam: Definitely tough game for us. Batting wasn't up to the mark. We were definitely in the game but Dhanajaya's (de Silva) innings changed the game.

Prabath Jayasuriya is the player of the series: I worked hard and I was patient. It wasn't an easy pitch to bowl but we did well to bowl in partnerships and that led to wickets.

Dhananjaya de Silva is the player of the match: I got a hundred after 13 odd innings, very happy with that. Had good support from my bowlers and Dimuth (Karunaratne) from the dressing room. It's hard work (captaincy), you have to manage the bowlers and keep people motivated.

With that, Sri Lanka have drawn level. Sri Lanka and Pakistan continue the tradition of producing compelling cricket whenever they meet. The match turned dramatically in the last half an hour before lunch and there was no way back for Pakistan from there. Pakistan were coasting for most of the morning session with Babar Azam and Mohammad Rizwan looking set, but an error of judgement cost Rizwan his wicket, and things happened quickly for Sri Lanka thereafter. They picked up four wickets in the last half an hour before lunch and were back in the contest. Fielding played a key role in those dismissals as there was the run-out of Fawad Alam and Agha Salman was brilliantly caught at short-leg by Kusal Mendis. Post lunch, Sri Lanka continued to create chances, including a missed lbw review of Mohammad Nawaz and a dropped catch of Babar Azam at slip. But those missed opportunities wouldn't cost Sri Lanka. First, Prabath Jayasuriya got one to go on with the arm and trap Babar Azam in front. Then, Mahammad Nawaz was caught trying to slog Ramesh Mendis. The floodgates opened thereafter as the tail were trying to hit everything out of the park, rather than attempt to save the Test. Jayasuriya was the pick of the bowlers as he claimed his fourth five-wicket haul in Tests, and Mendis chipped in with four to make it nine for the match for him, in addition to the runs he got. Sri Lanka won by 246 runs. Presentation coming up. Stay tuned.