Mon Sep 23 08:11:55 UTC 2024: ## Sri Lanka Dominate New Zealand in Galle Test, Climb to Third in WTC Rankings

**Galle, Sri Lanka:** Sri Lanka secured a resounding 63-run victory over New Zealand in the first Test of the two-match series at the Galle International Stadium on Monday. The win propelled Sri Lanka to third place in the ICC World Test Championship (WTC) points table with a 50% win percentage, while New Zealand slipped to fourth with a 42.86% win percentage.

The hero of the match was Sri Lanka’s left-arm spinner Prabath Jayasuriya, who claimed an incredible 9-wicket haul, dismantling the New Zealand batting lineup.

Sri Lanka, winning the toss and electing to bat first, posted a respectable 305 runs in their first innings thanks to a century from Kamindu Mendis. New Zealand responded with 340 runs, boosted by half-centuries from Tom Latham, Kane Williamson, and Daryl Mitchell.

In their second innings, Sri Lanka once again showcased their batting prowess, amassing 309 runs with contributions from Dimuth Karunaratne, Dinesh Chandimal, and veteran Angelo Mathews.

Chasing a target of 275 runs, New Zealand found themselves in a constant battle against the Sri Lankan bowlers. While Rachin Ravindra fought valiantly, scoring a valiant 92, the rest of the batting order failed to provide support. Jayasuriya, in particular, proved too much to handle, taking the crucial wicket of Ravindra early on Day 5.

The final wicket, that of William O’Rourke, signaled a triumphant win for Sri Lanka, setting them up for a strong series lead.

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