South Africa needs five more wickets, while Sri Lanka is chasing 143 runs as the thrilling final day of the second Test arrives. At the end of the fourth day, Sri Lanka scored 205-5, trying to reach a target of 348 runs to win the match and tie the series. South Africa aims to find the remaining batsmen to claim a 2-0 victory.
Sri Lanka’s captain, Dhananjaya de Silva, and Kusal Mendes showed great partnership, both not out on 39 runs, giving their team hope. They maintained a quick scoring rate, but they need to chase down more runs than any team has previously managed at this venue—Australia’s 271-8 against South Africa in 1997.
Both teams are eager to win. Sri Lanka needs this win to stay in the race for a spot in the World Test Championship final at Lord’s in June. If South Africa wins, they will move to the top of the standings, ahead of Australia.
After getting South Africa out for 317 runs post-lunch, Sri Lanka played aggressively but lost two openers—Pathum Nissanka and Dimuth Karunaratne—before tea. Karunaratne was out for just 1 run, and Nissanka scored 18 runs before chasing a wide ball and getting caught by the bowler Dane Paterson. Paterson also got Dinesh Chandimal out for 29 runs in the last session.
Spinner Keshav Maharaj got veteran Angelo Mathews out for 32 runs. The attacking Kamindu Mendes scored 35 runs quickly but got caught by wicketkeeper Kyle Verreynne off another Maharaj delivery.
Earlier, Prabath Jayasuriya took five wickets for 129 runs—his first five-wicket haul outside of Sri Lanka. Temba Bavuma topped South Africa’s score in their second innings with 66 runs. He began the day with 48, achieved his 24th fifty, but was eventually out by Jayasuriya.
South Africa won the first Test against Sri Lanka by 233 runs in Durban.
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