Sonal Dinusha Breaks 23-Year-Old Record; Becomes First Player In World Since Zaheer Abbas To Achieve Rare Feat

The 25-year-old continued his fine form in the series with a third consecutive half-century, and he continued to distinguish himself as a top talent for Sri Lankan cricket in the times to come.

At stumps on Day 3, Dinusha is unbeaten on 85 after facing 137 balls as the home team has 265 runs on the board for the loss of eight wickets. They are 238 runs behind India, who posted 503/8 after winning the toss and batting first.

Dinusha was the lone bright star for the home team in the first Test with a century in the first innings (100 runs). Later, he also made 84 runs in the second innings before India sealed a 165-run victory in Galle to take a 1-0 lead in the series.

Sonal Dinusha Creates History

Dinusha’s current tally of 269 runs across the two tests is the most by a batter against India from number six or below in a series of two or fewer games. The record was previously held by New Zealand’s Craig McMillan for 23 years.

Most Runs Against India In A Series Of Two Or Fewer Matches From Number Six Or Below (Or Player Did Not Play More Than Two Matches In Series)

Meanwhile, Dinsuha has become the first player in 48 years to score 80 or more runs in his first three innings against India in Test cricket. Overall, only three players have achieved the feat since the Asian giants played their first-ever Test match in 1932.

If Dinusha managed to complete a century on the third day, he would be the first player batting at number six or below with two centuries against India in the same series of two or fewer games.

Players With 80+ Runs In First Three Innings vs India In Test Cricket

Dinusha is also the 10th player to score half-centuries against India in his first three outings against them with the bat in Test cricket. Among Sri Lankan players, he is the second to achieve the feat after Duleep Mendis in 1982.

Dinusha had played only three Test matches for Sri Lanka before this series but has emerged as their best batter amid the absence of star batters Pathum Nissanka, Kusal Mendis, and Dinesh Chandimal.

He impressed in his Test series against the West Indies last year with a knock of 43 in the first innings (and 12* in the second innings) in the first Test before he made a knock of 93 in the first outing of the second Test. He had made only 11 runs in his sole outing against Bangladesh in his debut Test at the SSC in 2024.