- June 20, 2025
If you switched into this Test after Bangladesh’s 495-run explosion, you would have thought the second half of this Test was going to be a long, hard slog for Sri Lanka. But Pathum Nissanka had other ideas. What happened on day three at Galle was not just a counterpunch. It was an emphatic batting statement. Nissanka’s stately 187 not out from 256 balls has shifted the mood, shifted the momentum, and possibly shifted a Test match. It was Nissanka’s first Test hundred at home and a superb piece of batting that has made fans wonder: can Sri Lanka win this Test?
Nissanka’s Mastery: Timing, Composure, and a Dash of Flair
Let’s begin with the player of the hour – Nissanka. He didn’t simply score runs – he owned the crease! He was in complete control from the first new ball to the second, combining old-fashioned Test match patience with new-fashioned scoring fluency. Short balls? Square cuts. Long balls? Crème’d through the covers. This was not just bludgeoning; it was controlled aggression.
The most impressive thing for me was how he removed the pressure from the game. Whether it was in a series of dots or a sticky spell, Nissanka managed to break the pressure, even if it was just getting a boundary or two consistently. That kind of influence affects your batting partners, and it certainly did—Chandimal quietly went on his way to 54, and Mathews looked set for the next fifty when a Mominul Turner found the edge.
Nissanka built partnerships and during his innings, spent time out in the middle with four different batters—his 454 with Chandimal, and even after Nissanka was dismissed, Sri Lanka’s run-rate never dropped. Now that is setting the tone.
Bangladesh’s Bowling: Bright Moments, But Too Inconsistent
To be fair, it wasn’t all chaos with the ball for Bangladesh. Hasan Mahmud’s sharp inducker finally removed Nissanka, and Mominul, with a soft surprise spin delivery, removed Mathews, but what does it all add up to? Inconsistent.
Three of the five bowlers went for over four an over. That is not all that surprising when considering that Sri Lanka, on a day-three Galle pitch with plenty of runs, are going to fully capitalise on the inconsistencies in the Bangladesh lines and lengths. Now compare and contrast that with how Bangladesh batted with an overall cautiousness of around three an over, rarely shifting pressure – that second approach will likely turn out to be the story of the match.
Momentum Shift: Can Sri Lanka Now Push for a Win?
Now, here’s the real kicker. After two days of dominating, Bangladesh is now fighting for its life on the final day. If Sri Lanka can bat deep into their innings past Bangladesh’s total and lay down a decent lead, they will have the scoreboard pressure and potentially the pitch pressure too.
Galle’s surface is starting to deteriorate, with cracks appearing on the surface. Add a touch of spin, some scoreboard pressure, and a cheeky cloud cover, and we could be in for a true Test finish.
Though challenges remain, Nissanka’s innings has breathed new life into Sri Lanka’s Test hopes. One minute they were talking about the likelihood of a follow-on, now they might be in the position of taking the initiative; this has been a remarkable day for the Sri Lankan hosts. And for Nissanka, this was no run-of-the-mill career innings; this was a coming-of-age innings in front of home fans.
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