SL vs NZ | Twitter reacts to brain faded Chandimal leaves Dimuth furious after selling down the river

ByArijit Kundu, SportsCafe Editor

09/26/2024

‌Concentration plays a great role in a cricketer’s career as a lapse can lead to the team’s downfall. With Test cricket referred to as the epitome of toughness in the sport, Dimuth Karunatne fell prey to a lapse in concentration of his partner Dinesh Chandimal in the second Test against New Zealand.

Eyeing to enforce a white-wash against a robust New Zealand side, luck favoured Sri Lanka captain Dhananjaya de Silva and the tourists were sent to bowl first. Despite losing Pathum Nissanka cheaply in the first over, Chandimal and Karunaratne, the two veterans, stabilized the ship with solid technique and good temperament. The pair orchestrated a hundred-plus stand amidst rain interruptions, negating both spin and pace with sheer control until it took a viscous runout to break the stand.

New Zealand captain Tim Southee continued with spin after the Lunch break and a Mitchell Santner fuller, flighted delivery at the stumps was flicked towards deep mid-wicket by Karunaratne on the first ball of the 40th over. While the batter called for a run and crossed the halfway mark of the strip, his partner, Chandimal was seen ball watching and avoided the run. Glenn Phillips from the deep was agile as always and attempted a throw at the stumps where Tom Latham at silly point region grabbed the ball. While Karunaratne was looking back to get home at the striker’s end, Latham made a direct hit from close quarters with the southpaw short of the crease. Subsequently, the former Sri Lankan captain was seen livid and trudged off the field disappointed, prompting the Twitterverse into discussion.

That shouldn't have happened!

— Arijit Shanto (@ArijitShan18431)

Really bad there!

Sloppy cricket from Sri Lanka gifts Kiwis a wicket. So much hesitation when Dimuth is running between wickets. He was run out at The Oval too with Nissanka being the partner. This was Chandimal’s fault though. In front of wicket, it’s the striker’s call. There was run there too.
— Rex Clementine (@RexClementine)

Damn it!

What was that Dimuth? He literally gave his wicket. Chandimal should have told Dimuth not to run, rather than watching the ball.
— Cricket On Your Screen (@CricketOnScreen)

Noiceee!

Most Wickets by kiwi bowlers in Asia.
— Шурик Александр (@Mubin145)

Nice one!

1️⃣0️⃣0⃣ partnership comes up for the 2nd wicket 👌👌

Dimuth Karunaratne 🤝 Dinesh Chandimal

📸 Getty, 🙏
— 🅼🅺 🆅🅴🆁🅼🅰 🇮🇳 (@_mkverma)

Very unusual!

Finally Partnership of 122 ends with Run out of Damith Karunaratne 46 .

Mathews is the new batsman .. Start with 4 ..
— Шурик Александр (@Mubin145)

He was very very unlucky!

Dimuth Karunaratne for 46 runs with 4 fours. Well played Karunaratne a good innings, had a good partnership with Dinesh Chandimal and Angelo Mathews comes to bat 2 down.
— Akaran.A (@Akaran_1)

That's what!