Pink-ball Test: Chasing mammoth target of 447, SL 28/1 in 2nd innings at stumps on Day 2
Bengaluru, Mar 13: Sri Lanka were 28 for 1 at stumps on Day 2 while chasing a mammoth target of 447 runs to win the second Test against India here on Sunday.
Captain Dimuth Karunaratne and Kusal Mendis were batting on 10 and 16 respectively at the close of play, needing 419 more runs to win the match.
India declared their second innings at 303 for 9 during the final session when Axar Patel was out for 9 after India had played 68.5 overs in their second innings.
Mohammed Shami remained not out on 16.
Shreyas Iyer top-scored with a 87-ball 67 while star wicketkeeper-batter Rishabh Pant struck a counter-attacking 31-ball 50. Captain Rohit Sharma contributed 46.
For Sri Lanka, Praveen Jayawickrama was the most successful bowler with figures of 4/78 while Lasith Embuldeniya took three wickets.
Earlier, in reply to India's first innings total of 252, Sri Lanka were all out for 109 from 35.5 overs with pacer Jasprit Bumrah (5/24) claiming his maiden fifer on Indian soil while Ashwin and Mohammed Shami took two wickets apiece.
Sri Lanka resumed at 86 for six but their innings lasted for just 5.5 overs on Sunday, losing Lasith Embuldeniya (1), Suranga Lakmal (5), Niroshan Dickwella (21) and Vishwa Fernando (8) with the addition of just 23 runs.
India are leading the two-match Test series 1-0 after winning the first game by an innings and 222 runs.
Brief Scores:
India: 252 and 303 for 9 declared in 68.5 overs (Shreyas Iyer 67, Rishabh Pant 50, Rohit Sharma 46; Praveen Jayawickrama 4/78).
Sri Lanka: 109 all out in 35.5 overs (Angelo Mathews 43; Jasprit Bumrah 5/24) and 28 for 1 in 7 overs.
Let the Truth be known. If you read VB and like VB, please be a VB Supporter and Help us deliver the Truth to one and all.
Gukesh draws with Niemann in Prague International Chess
Prague (PTI): World champion D Gukesh survived some anxious moments in the early middle game before finally drawing with Hans Moke Niemann of the United States in the first round of the masters section of the Prague International Chess Festival here.
The Berlin defense that went wrong for white could be a perfect heading for the encounter between the world champion and Niemann, who is walking his way to the elite chess circles after being indirectly accused of foul play.
It may be recalled that the American infamously won a game against world number one Magnus Carlsen, which will now be documented in a forthcoming Netflix series.
ALSO READ: Cheating made bigger than it actually is: Gukesh
Niemann came all guns blazing and sacrificed a piece with black piece as early as on move 13 to put Gukesh on the back foot despite having the white pieces.
The Indian was down but not out which he proved as the game progressed, and even though, black seemed like pushing for more with his extra pawns in exchange for the sacrificed knight, Gukesh ensured that he stayed in the game.
The eventual outcome was a draw, the lone one in the 10-player, nine round tournament that saw everyone with white pieces triumph in contrasting styles.
Defending champion Aravindh Chithambaram of India turned out to be on the wrong side of a position against Nodirbek Abdusattorov of Uzbekistan.
The Philidor defense by the Indian generated enough evidence that every opening could be playable only till he walked into a deft manoeuvre.
Aravindh lost in the rook and minor piece endgame after losing one of his pawn, and if that was not enough top seeded Vincent Keymer of Germany was blown away by a resurgent Jorden van Foreest of The Netherlands.
It was another Berlin defense wherein Foreest came out with a new idea that perplexed Keymer. As the opening concluded, the Dutchman had an advantage and he picked up a handful of pawns to register a comprehensive victory.
Also ending on a winning note was Abdusattorov's name sake and teammate Nodirbek Yakubboev who put it across David Anton Gujjaro of Spain, while in the other encounter of the day local favourite Navara David proved stronger against Iranian Parham Maghsoodloo.
In the challengers section, women's world cup winner Divya Deshmukh drew with top seeded Benjamin Gledura of Hungary from a position of strength but Surya Shekhar Ganguly ended on the receiving end against Thomas Beerdsen of The Netherlands.
Results after round 1 Masters: D Gukesh (IND) drew with Hans Moke Niemann (USA); Nodirbek Abdusattorov (UZB) beat Aravindh Chithambaram (IND); Jorden van Foreest (NED) beat Vincent Keymer (GER); David Navara (CZE) beat Parham Maghsoodloo (IRI); Nodirbek Yakubboev beat David Anton Guijarro (ESP).
Challengers: Divya Deshmukh (IND) drew with Benjamin Gledura (HUN); Surya Shekhar Ganguly (IND) lost to Thomas Beersden (NED); Zhu Jiner (CHN) lost to Jachym Nemec (CZE); Daniel Yuffa (ESP) lost to Stepen Hrbek (CZE); Jonas Buhl Bjerre (DEN) drew with Vaclav Finek (CZE).
