New Delhi: Sri Lanka scripted a phenomenal fight back into the match on Day 1 of the third Test at Pallekele, today. Ripping through the record-breaking opening stand, Malinda Pushpakumara bagged three wickets one of which was the important dismissal of centurion Shikhar Dhawan. But what made it even more impressive is the Dinesh Chandimal's amazing two-handed catch at square-leg. ( SL vs IND: 3rd Test, Day 1 – As it happened... )
It was the 48th over of India's first innings batting. Malinda Pushpakumara was back into the attack for his fifth over. He was oozing with confidence having then sent back KL Rahul on 85, denying him his much-awaited century. First ball, length delivery, on the middle stump. Dhawan, with a premeditated sweep, mistimed his shot and got the leading edge as Dinesh Chandimal at square-leg dived to his left to clutch a stunner in the air. One could surely rewind and again rewind to see it. Simply amazing!
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Dhawan walked back on 119. It was his sixth Test century and fifth on foreign soil. Above that, he stitched a record-breaking 188-run opening stand alongside KL Rahul that not only took India off to a steady start, but also the tourists dominated throughout their innings.
For Pushpakumara, he came back to back his third as the dominant hosts lowered to five down. The Lankans displayed an applauding fightback in the second and the third session of the Day 1 of the third Test match.
