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Jayasuriya’s nine in the match takes Sri Lanka to victory despite Ravindra’s fight
Sri Lanka didn’t need long on the final morning in Galle to wrap things up, taking just 15 minutes to grab the final two New Zealand wickets and secure a 63-run win in the first Test. The result means Sri Lanka go 1-0 up in the two-match series, while also leapfrogging New Zealand up to third place in the World Test Championship (WTC) points table.
Prabath Jayasuriya was unsurprisingly at the forefront of Sri Lanka’s charge, finishing with figures of 5 for 68 – his eighth five-wicket haul, and his seventh in Galle. He ended with match figures of 9 for 204, thus taking home the Player-of-the-Match award.
After having fought so hard the previous day, Rachin Ravindra lasted just eight deliveries into the first session of the final morning, as Jayasuriya trapped him in front with an arm ball for 92 off 168 balls. Coming around the wicket, Jayasuriya tossed one up on leg, as Ravindra was caught in the crease playing down the wrong line. He reviewed, but once it was confirmed to be pitching in line, there would be no saving him.
And any lingering hopes of a famous rearguard were then swiftly quashed, as Will O’Rourke kept out just five deliveries before the sixth slipped past his forward defence and on to off stump to hand Jayasuriya his fifth wicket of the innings.
O’Rourke wouldn’t quite be satisfied with how the game ended after an impressive showing in the game, as he finished with eight wickets to his name – the second-most across the Test, and the same as Ajaz Patel.
In terms of how this result impacts the WTC, it keeps Sri Lanka’s outside hopes of a berth in the final alive. But for New Zealand, it makes their task considerably tougher, with an away series against India and a home series England coming up in the next few months.
There will be no time to dwell on this result for either team, with just a two-day break before the second Test gets underway on Thursday – also in Galle.
Brief scores:
Sri Lanka 305 (Kamindu Mend8s 114, Kusal Mendis 50; William O’Rourke 5-55, Glenn Phillips 2-52, Ajaz Patel 2-60) and 309 (Dimuth Karunaratne 83; Ajaz Patel 6-90, William O’Rourke 3-49) beat New Zealand 340 (Tom Latham 70; Prabath Jayasuriya 4-136, Ramesh Mendis 3-101) and 211 (Rach8n Ravindra 92: Prabath Jayasuriya 5-68, Ramesh Mendis 3-83) by 63 runs
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Heat Index at ‘Caution level’ in the Western, Sabaragamuwa, Southern and North-western provinces and in Anuradhapura, Mannar, Vavuniya and Monaragala districts
Warm Weather Advisory
Issued by the Natural Hazards Early Warning Centre of the Department of Meteorology
at 3.30 p.m. on 25 March 2026, valid for 26 March 2026.
The Heat index, the temperature felt on human body is likely to increase up to ‘Caution level’ at some places in the Western, Sabaragamuwa, Southern and North-western provinces and in
Anuradhapura, Mannar, Vavuniya and Monaragala districts.
The Heat Index Forecast is calculated by using relative humidity and maximum temperature and this is the condition that is felt on your body. This is not the forecast of maximum temperature. It is generated by the Department of Meteorology for the next day period and prepared by using global numerical weather prediction model data.
Effect of the heat index on human body is mentioned in the above table and it is prepared on the advice of the Ministry of Health and Indigenous Medical Services.
ACTION REQUIRED
Job sites: Stay hydrated and takes breaks in the shade as often as possible.
Indoors: Check up on the elderly and the sick.
Vehicles: Never leave children unattended.
Outdoors: Limit strenuous outdoor activities, find shade and stay hydrated.
Dress: Wear lightweight and white or light-colored clothing.
Note:
In addition, please refer to advisories issued by the Disaster Preparedness & Response Division, Ministry
of Health in this regard as well. For further clarifications please contact 011-7446491.
South Africa won their first away T20I series under Shukri Conrad, and second successive bilateral series, with a convincing performance over New Zealand in Christchurch. Put in to bat, they posted the highest total of the series of 187 for 4- and defended it with a six-player attack to seal the series 3-2.
After poor batting performances in the second and third T20Is,2 South Africa went from good to better in the next two. Three of South Africa’s four highest partnerships of the series came in this match, and they have unearthed a potential future star in Connor Esterhuizen. He scored back-to-back fifties in matches four and five and anchored their efforts in the decider. While Zak Foulkes and Josh Clarkson were economical, the rest of their attack conceded at over nine runs an over. Offspinner Cole McConchie’s 0 for 48 was the most expensive.
New Zealand were without their first choice top five and also had to do without Tom Latham, who was due to lead them but fractured his thumb in the third T20I. They were never really in the chase against a disciplined South African effort. None of their batters scored more than Bevan Jacobs’ 36 and they only had one partnership which threatened: 52 between Jimmy Neesham and Jacobs for the fifth wicket.
Overall it was a messy affair on both sides, with nine dropped catches in the game, the most for any men’s T20I as per ESPNCricinfo’s ball-by-ball data logs since June 2018
Rubin Hermann has been involved in half of South Africa’s top stands and looked set for a big one today. Early in his innings, Hermann took down Ben Sears no matter what length he bowled and took 14 runs off four balls. Later, he showed his strength against spin when he joined Esterhuizen in targeting McConchie. But then Hermann did not hit a boundary for 12 balls and needed to take it on. When Sears went hard length, Hermann pulled but got his timing wrong and skied the ball towards mid-off. Nick Kelly ran from mid-on, made his ground and then stuck out one hand to take a superman catch, flying low to the ground. Hermann was out for 39, and the second-wicket partnership was broken on 59.
While Hermann’s promise only peeped through, Esterhuizen went from excellent to exceptional and topped up his maiden international half-century from game four with a new career-best: 75 off 33 balls in the finale. His on-side dominance was on display, as he scored 52 runs in that half of the ground, including five of his six sixes. The biggest ones came off McConchie who he hit back over his head, then over midwicket and over square leg. In total, Esterhuizen scored 21 runs off 8 balls but wasn’t shy to show what he could do against the quicks either. In the last two overs, he took 25 runs off Kyle Jamieson and Sears. His innings ended when he tried to send a Sears full toss to Neesham with two balls to go and he ended the series with a total of 200 runs, 100 more than his nearest competitor, Devon Conway.
It’s been a tough few months for Jason Smith. He only played one game at the T20 World Cup, despite being a first-choice pick in the squad and has not managed to get one score over 20 in five innings on this tour. And then things seemed to become tougher. Smith was at extra cover when Dane Cleaver, on 1, backed away from a Gerald Coetzee ball and smashed it to him. It was hit hard and could have taken some holding onto but Smith let it burst through his hands. Luckily for him, three overs later, the chance to do better came. Ottneil Baartman drew a leading edge from a Cleaver and the ball looped to him at point. He made no mistake and Cleaver was dismissed for 22. New Zealand were 46 for 2 after the powerplay and well behind the chase.
Contrastingly, Coetzee has had a wonderful 10 days after missing out on T20 World Cup selection and recovering from a torn pec muscle. He finished as the joint leading wicket taker, and the one with the lowest economy rate in the series. In today’s match, he didn’t concede a boundary until the final ball he bowled, and by then New Zealand were out of the game. Coetzee bowled two overs with the new ball, for 11 runs, and should have Cleaver’s wicket and then returned for the 17th and 19th overs. His penultimate over was a mix of quick short balls with the odd change of pace and cost two runs. Reward came in his last over, when he had Josh Clarkson caught off a leading edge at cover and McConchie caught at long-on trying to clear the ropes off a cross seam ball. Coetzee finished with 2 for 21 in four overs.
Brief scores:
South Africa 187 for 4 in 20 overs (Tony de Zorzi 12, Wiaan Mulder 31, Rubin Hermann 39, Connor Esterhuizen 75, Dian Foresster 21*; Zak Foulkes 1-22, Ben Sears 2-37, Josh Clarkson 1-14) beat New Zealand 154 for 8 in 20 overs (Tim Robinson 25, Dane Cleaver 22 , Nick Kelley 14, Bevan Jacobs 36, James Neesham 24, Josh Clarkson 13; Gerald Coetzee 2-21, Wiaan Mulder 2-28, Ottneil Baartman 2-33, Keshav Maharaj 1-35)by 33 runs
(Cricinfo)
Showers expected in the Western and Sabaragamuwa provinces and in Galle and Matara districts after 2.00 pm.
Heat Index at ‘Caution level’ in the Western, Sabaragamuwa, Southern and North-western provinces and in Anuradhapura, Mannar, Vavuniya and Monaragala districts
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