Second Test: Mendis, Karunaratne defy India

Colombo Aug 5 (IANS) Kusal Mendis and Dimuth Karunaratne dominated the third session as Sri Lanka posted 209/2 in their second innings to trail by 230 runs after being forced to follow on by India at the end of the third day of the second Test here on Saturday.

Mendis scored 110 runs before medium-pacer Hardik Pandya dismissed him at the fag end of the day s play thanks to an excellent diving effort by wicket-keeper Wriddhiman Saha. Mendis hit 17 boundaries over the course of his 135-ball innings.

His partnership of 191 runs with Karunaratne helped steady the Lankan innings after the early dismissal of opener Upul Tharanga.

Karunaratne was batting on 92 at stumps with Malinda Pushpakumara on 2 at the other end. Karunaratne s unbeaten knock of 200 balls was laced with 12 boundaries.

For India Pandya returned figures of 1/12.

--IANS
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