Sri Lanka 305 (Kamindu 114, O’Rourke 5-55, Phillips 2-52) and 309 (Karunaratne 83, Ajaz 6-90, O’Rourke 3-49) defeated New Zealand 340 (Latham 70, Jayasuriya 4-136, Ramesh 3-101) and 211 (Ravindra 92, Jayasuriya 5-68, Ramesh 3-83) by 63 runs.
Sri Lanka swiftly wrapped up the first Test in Galle on the final morning, taking just 15 minutes to dismiss New Zealand’s last two wickets and secure a 63-run victory. This win puts Sri Lanka 1-0 up in the two-match series and moves them up to third place on the World Test Championship (WTC) points table, overtaking New Zealand.
Prabath Jayasuriya led Sri Lanka’s charge with a brilliant bowling performance, claiming 5 for 68 in the second innings, marking his eighth five-wicket haul and seventh in Galle. His match figures of 9 for 204 earned him the Player-of-the-Match award.
Rachin Ravindra, who fought valiantly the previous day, was dismissed just eight balls into the final session, trapped lbw by Jayasuriya for 92 off 168 balls. Jayasuriya, bowling around the wicket, delivered an arm ball that caught Ravindra off guard. Though Ravindra reviewed, the ball was confirmed to have pitched in line, sealing his fate.
Soon after, Will O’Rourke was bowled by Jayasuriya after facing just five deliveries, handing the Sri Lankan spinner his fifth wicket of the innings.
Despite the loss, O’Rourke had a standout performance, finishing with eight wickets in the match, tied with Ajaz Patel for the second-most in the game.
This result keeps Sri Lanka’s hopes for a WTC final spot alive, while New Zealand faces a tougher challenge ahead, with series against India (away) and England (home) in the coming months.
Both teams will have little time to rest, with the second Test beginning in Galle on Thursday, just two days after this match.
