SL vs NZ: Dinesh Chandimal's Brilliant Form At Galle Continues As He Scores His 6th Test Century In 2nd Test Against New Zealand

SL vs NZ, 2nd Test: Sri Lanka's star batter Dinesh Chandimal scored his maiden Test hundred on the first day of the second Test against New Zealand. Chandimal achieved this feat during the second session and put the team in the driver's position. He scored an unbeaten knock of 106 runs till tea, in which he had smashed 15 fours.

Chandimal came into bat after the team suffered a huge blow as opener Pathum Nissanka was dismissed in the first over itself while choosing to bat first. He was looking in good touch since the beginning as he began his knock by smashing a four in Tim Southee's over and stitched a stable partnership with Dimuth Karunaratne.

He didn't allow the Black Caps to take the better of him as he continuously rotated the strike by hitting fours. He scored his fifty off 79 balls, in which he had smashed nine fours and helped the team score 102/1 till lunch.

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After lunch, Chandimal slowed down his innings for a few overs and then again went all-guns-blazing in the last session of Mitchell Santner's over. On the other hand, Karunaratne couldn't score his well-deserved fifty as he was dismissed in an unfortunate dismissal. And that's how the visitors broke this huge partnership of 122 runs as the hosts lost their second wicket after scoring 124 runs.

But Chandimal continued with his knock by batting slowly. He scored his sixth Test hundred by taking one run in Mitchell Santner's over. He celebrated this achievement in style by doing the baby cradle celebration.

Chandimal's impressive record at Galle

This was his sixth Test century at Galle. This venue has hosted 22 matches till now, where Chandimal has scored 1726 runs at a brilliant average of 59.51, which includes six centuries and seven half-centuries under his kitty. One of his most memorable centuries at this venue was scored in August 2015 against the Men in Blue, as he had scored an unbeaten knock of 162 runs and helped the team post a target of 176 runs during the fourth innings after trailing by 192 runs during the first innings.

Sri Lanka won that match by 63 runs and Chandimal was adjudged the Player of the Match award for his knocks of 65 and 162* runs. At the same time, he will aim to convert his century into a big score against the Black Caps and help the team seal the series 2-0.