SL vs NZ Match

8:22 PM IST Is Sri Lanka making a late surge towards the World Test Championship final? It sure looks like it! After a stunning win against England at The Oval, the Lankans followed it up with a thrilling victory over New Zealand in the first Test of their two-match series. This win has catapulted Sri Lanka to third in the WTC standings, just behind India and Australia. The hosts will be riding high on confidence, especially after coming from behind to secure this crucial victory. Back on home soil, Dimuth Karunaratne is once again leading from the front, piling up runs at the top. Pathum Nissanka, who missed out in the last game, will be eager to make his mark in the second Test. Angelo Mathews and Dhananjaya de Silva provide solid middle-order stability, while Kusal Mendis, in his new role, impressed with a well-crafted half-century. However, all eyes were on Kamindu Mendis, the young sensation who smashed his fourth century in just his seventh Test, becoming the fastest Sri Lankan to reach that milestone. Lanka's bowling, led by the spin maestro Prabath Jayasuriya, was once again in top form. Jayasuriya grabbed another fifer, making him an unstoppable force on subcontinent pitches. He was well-supported by Ramesh Mendis and DDS, though the pacers Lahiru Kumara and Asitha Fernando will need to step up in the second game. For New Zealand, it felt like the match slipped from their grasp despite several opportunities. Openers Tom Latham and Devon Conway must convert their starts in these spin-friendly conditions. While Kane Williamson showed flashes of brilliance with a fifty, the Kiwis need him to fire in a big way. Rachin Ravindra’s gritty 92 in the second innings kept them in the game, but he lacked support from the other end. Daryl Mitchell and Glenn Phillips added some quick runs, but the team’s struggles against spin were glaring. On the bowling front, William O'Rourke was outstanding, bagging a five-wicket haul and following it up with three more in the second innings. Ajaz Patel also made the most of the spinning conditions, but Mitchell Santner’s struggles were concerning. In fact, Phillips picked up more wickets than Santner, raising questions about the latter's role. The second Test will also be played at Galle, Sri Lanka’s fortress, where the hosts have won four of their last five Tests. New Zealand, despite their poor record in Sri Lanka, showed enough fight to suggest they can level the series. Will Sri Lanka extend their dominance and inch closer to the WTC final, or will New Zealand bounce back and end the series on level terms? We’ll find out soon!