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In a dramatic turn of events on Day 1 of the second Test between Sri Lanka and New Zealand at the Galle International Stadium, Sri Lankan opener Dimuth Karunaratne was left fuming after his unfortunate run-out. The mix-up with his batting partner, Dinesh Chandimal, led to a rare moment of frustration for the usually composed Karunaratne, and the incident became one of the key talking points of the day.
Dimuth Karunaratne’s frustrating run-out incident
Sri Lanka, after winning the toss and electing to bat on a typically spin-friendly Galle track, were progressing steadily when the disaster struck in the 39th over. At that stage, Karunaratne, who had been playing a patient innings, was looking well-set on 46 off 109 balls, having hit four boundaries. Alongside Chandimal, he had built a solid partnership and was steering Sri Lanka toward a strong position.
However, on the very first ball of the 39th over, bowled by Mitchell Santner, a moment of confusion unfolded between the two experienced batters. Santner delivered a ball on the leg side, which Karunaratne flicked towards mid-wicket. Glenn Phillips, fielding at mid-wicket, made a brilliant diving stop to cut off what appeared to be a certain single. Karunaratne, reacting immediately, set off for a run, but Chandimal hesitated.
By the time the fielder had retrieved the ball, Karunaratne had almost reached Chandimal at the non-striker’s end, leaving no way to return to his crease. The quick-thinking Phillips fired the ball towards short-leg, where Tom Latham, though initially unsure, collected it and underarmed a direct hit at the stumps, catching Karunaratne well short. Despite a valiant attempt to make his ground, Karunaratne had no chance.
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As the New Zealand team celebrated an unexpected wicket, Karunaratne’s frustration boiled over. He exchanged words with Chandimal before storming off the field, clearly upset by the miscommunication that had cost him his wicket. Chandimal, on the other hand, appeared apologetic, knowing that the mistake had broken a 122-run partnership.
Here’s the video:
Costly mix-up 🫣@IamDimuth departs as Sri Lanka's 1️⃣2️⃣2️⃣-run stand is broken ❌#SonySportsNetwork #SLvNZ pic.twitter.com/5UmAsoJQMs
— Sony Sports Network (@SonySportsNetwk) September 26, 2024
The run-out was a significant blow for Sri Lanka, who were 139/2 at that point. Karunaratne’s departure ended what had been a promising partnership with Chandimal. Despite the setback, Chandimal went on to make amends by scoring his 16th Test century, which happens to be his first against New Zealand.
At stumps on Day 1, Sri Lanka stood at 306/3, with New Zealand managing to pick up only three wickets – Karunaratne’s run-out and the dismissals Pathum Nissanka (1 off 3) and Chandimal. After Chandimal’s dismissal, Angelo Mathews (78 not out) and Kamindu Mendis (51 not out) made New Zealand bowlers toiled hard on the flat Galle surface.
