Ravindra's effort almost carried New Zealand to an incredible victory, but Sri Lanka\u2019s Prabath Jayasuriya had the final say, securing a 63-run win for the hosts.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
Ravindra, batting at No. 4, played the role of a lone warrior for his side. His 92 off 168 balls was a masterclass in patience and resilience, especially as the rest of the New Zealand batters, including former captain Kane Williamson, struggled on a deteriorating Day 4 pitch. No other Kiwi batter managed to score more than 30 in the final innings, leaving Ravindra to shoulder the responsibility of chasing 275 on his own.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
\"I know he is a magnificent player. He played here for the first time. He must be very, very excited about it. Yeah, we've been excited for a while. We saw glimpses back in New Zealand of his capabilities and what he's got. He's got a lot of attributes that set him up for a lot of success at this level. We've seen that in the short sample size,\" Southee said after the match.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
Despite being unbeaten overnight, New Zealand\u2019s hopes of a stunning win crumbled early on Day 5. Ravindra was dismissed LBW in the second over of the morning by Jayasuriya, whose 5-68 in the second innings along with his match figures of 9-204, secured a victory for Sri Lanka at the Galle International Stadium.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
\"If you look at any Test matches, there's moments in matches, and you look at that first innings, I'll still ask, I think it's because I've not seen anything happen in this part of the world. The deeper you go, the harder it becomes. We know it's obviously a challenge for us, but in this part of the world, the later the Test goes, the tougher it becomes, so that was a big moment,\" Southee added.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
With the win, Sri Lanka leapfrogged New Zealand into third place in the World Test Championship (WTC) standings, keeping their hopes of reaching the WTC final alive.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
\"If you look at any Test matches, there's moments in matches, and you look at that first innings, I'll still ask, I think it's because I've not seen anything happen in this part of the world. The deeper you go, the harder it becomes. We know it's obviously a challenge for us, but in this part of the world, the later the Test goes, the tougher it becomes, so that was a big moment,\" Southee added.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
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