Priyanka Tiwari
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Suspense crime, Digital Desk : A new star was born in Pallekele as debutant Praveen Jayawickrama produced a stunning, match-winning performance, bowling Sri Lanka to a dominant 209-run victory over Bangladesh in the second Test. The left-arm spinner’s historic 11-wicket haul on debut not only decimated the visitors but also sealed a 1-0 series win for the home side.
The stage for this demolition was set much earlier by Sri Lanka's batsmen. After winning the toss, captain Dimuth Karunaratne (118) and Dhananjaya de Silva (142 not out) led the charge with superb centuries, powering their team to a mammoth first-innings total of 493 for 7 declared.
Faced with a mountain of runs, Bangladesh's batting lineup crumbled. Jayawickrama announced his arrival on the world stage by tearing through their top and middle order, finishing with remarkable figures of 6 for 92. The visitors were bundled out for just 251, forcing Sri Lanka to enforce the follow-on.
The writing was on the wall, and Bangladesh's second innings was no different. Their resistance was futile against Sri Lanka’s fresh and hungry spin attack. In a truly unique feat, the wickets were shared between the two debutants, as Jayawickrama claimed another five-wicket haul (5 for 86) and off-spinner Ramesh Mendis chipped in with 4 for 103.
Jayawickrama finished the match with incredible figures of 11 for 178, the best-ever by a Sri Lankan bowler on debut and the first to take 10 or more wickets since Muttiah Muralitharan. It was a masterful performance of control and guile that single-handedly dismantled the opposition, securing a memorable victory and capping off a dream start to his international career.
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