Ravichandran Ashwin curtailed Kumar Sangakkara’s final innings at 18, as Sri Lanka struggled to 72-2 at stumps on day four Sunday, chasing 413 to win the second test against India.
The off spinner opened the bowling and took both wickets to fall, raising India’s hopes for a series-leveling win.
Kaushal Silva was first to be dismissed, caught by Stuart Binny with Sri Lanka on just eight. Sangakkara walked in under a canopy of bats held by boys and was given a guard of honor by the Indian players and umpires.
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The Sri Lankans need 341 more runs in three sessions with eight wickets in hand. If they succeed it will be the third highest successful run chase to win a test match. The highest is 418 by the West Indies against Australia 12 years ago. South Africa chased down 414 against Australia in 2008.
Opener Dimuth Karunaratne was batting on 25, with captain Angelo Mathews on 23. The pair shared 39 runs for the third wicket.
Ashwin took 2-27.
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India declared its second innings at 325-8 shortly after tea and, with an 87-run first innings lead, set Sri Lanka a winning target of 413.
Ajinkya Rahane top scored for India with 126, his fourth test hundred, supported by Vijay who made 82.
Rahane’s runs came off 243 deliveries, spending more than five and a half hours at the crease. He shared 140 for the second wicket with Vijay and a further 85 runs for the fourth wicket with Rohit Sharma (34), before being caught behind by Dinesh Chandimal off Kaushal.
Vijay was earlier trapped lbw by Kaushal, after facing 133 deliveries and hitting two sixes and four boundaries. Seam bowler Dhammika Prasad and off spinner Tharindu Kaushal took four wickets each for Sri Lanka.
On Saturday Indian leg spin bowler Amit Mishra picked up four wickets to help the tourists end Sri Lanka’s first innings on 306. Mathews scored his sixth test century and was out for 102. Sri Lanka lost its last seven wickets for 65 runs.
Sri Lanka leads the three-match series after a stunning 63-run win in the first test in Galle.