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.
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UP Cong holds statewide protest seeking probe into FIR against Swami Avimukteshwaranand
Lucknow (PTI): The Uttar Pradesh Congress on Wednesday staged a statewide protest demanding a fair and transparent inquiry into the FIR lodged against Swami Avimukteshwaranand Saraswati and those who filed the complaint against him.
In a statement issued here, the party said memorandums addressed to Prime Minister Narendra Modi were submitted through district magistrates in all districts of the state.
Uttar Pradesh Congress spokesperson Manish Hindvi told PTI that the memorandums were handed over through the district administration in all 75 districts.
In the memorandum, the party alleged that Saraswati and his disciples were "unnecessarily harassed and humiliated" by police on the occasion of Amavasya and were prevented from taking a ritual bath (at the Magh Mela). It further alleged that some disciples were manhandled and taken to a police station.
The memorandum also claimed that an FIR was later registered against Saraswati, his disciple Swami Mukundanand Brahmachari and several unidentified persons in a sexual harassment case. It termed the case a "conspiracy" aimed at tarnishing the seer's reputation.
Citing Articles 25 and 26 of the Constitution, the memorandum stated that these provisions guarantee religious freedom and the right of religious denominations to manage their own affairs.
It described the position of shankaracharya held by Saraswati as "one of the highest spiritual posts in Sanatan tradition" and alleged that the entire episode appeared to have been "orchestrated in a planned manner".
"We request that the background of the persons who got the FIR registered be investigated in a transparent manner by a retired high court judge and strict action be taken against them," the memorandum said.
It also sought a "fair and transparent probe" into the allegations levelled against Saraswati so that the truth could be established.
Earlier, Uttar Pradesh Congress president Ajay Rai had told reporters in Varanasi after meeting Saraswati that the party stood firmly with him.
The Congress said it would continue to press for an impartial inquiry into the entire episode.
On February 21, an FIR was lodged in Prayagraj against Saraswati and his disciple Mukundanand Brahmachari on charges of sexually abusing two persons, including a minor, over the past year at a gurukul and religious congregations, including the recently concluded Magh Mela.
Days after he was booked, Saraswati had said on Monday that he would not oppose his arrest and asserted that the "fabricated story" would be exposed sooner or later.
At a press conference on Wednesday, Saraswati alleged that criminals rule in Uttar Pradesh, level allegations and influence investigations, as he denied having any contact with the two persons for whose alleged sexual abuse he has been booked.
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