श्रीलंका vs ऑस्ट्रेलिया, दूसरा टेस्ट, गॉल इंटरनेशनल स्टेडियम, गॉल, 06 February 2025 - कमेंट्री

Full, around leg stump, Marnus Labuschagne sweeps it fine but straight to short fine leg.

A touch short, around off, spinning in, Labuschagne stays back and nudges it to the leg side.

Similar ball, this time Marnus works it through mid-wicket. The timing is excellent and perhaps Labuschagne thinks it will be a boundary and runs the first one a touch slowly. He gets down to the other end and turns, looks up and sees the fielder get to the ball. Stops but then sees Khawaja charge across and resumes running for the second. Makes it in comfortably in the end. A run more needed for the win now.

AUSTRALIA WIN THE SECOND TEST MATCH BY 9 WICKETS! A clean sweep for them as they have executed their plans to perfection right from day one. Tossed up, around middle, Marnus Labuschagne comes forward and nudges it towards square leg for a single and hits the winning runs. A 2-0 series win for the Kangaroos.

Howzzat for LBW? Not out. Howzzat for a catch then? Not given. Okay, then review taken. No real celebration in the Sri Lankan camp with Dhananjaya de Silva just smiling, resigningly. It was a full ball outside off and Usman Khawaja looked to sweep. The ball went off something and the bowler and keeper immediately appealed for LBW. Meanwhile, Dhananjaya de Silva made a brilliant one-handed diving stop to his right and appealed for the catch as well. With both not given and not having much to lose, he signalled for the review. UltraEdge did not detect any bat, indicating that the ball went off the pad but Ball Tracking showed the impact to be well outside off. For the record, Sri Lanka have only 1 review left.

Full, on middle, Khawaja whips this through mid-wicket and has enough time to come back for the third. Just a hit away from the win now.

On middle and leg, Marnus Labuschagne goes back to flick but misses and is hit on the pads.

Tossed up, just outside off, Marnus Labuschagne comes forward and dabs it towards backward point and calls for two but is sent back by Usman Khawaja and gets a single only.

Floated up, around off, Usman Khawaja strides forward and blocks it off towards cover.

Flighted up, around off, Usman Khawaja defends it off the front foot. Australia need just 3 runs.

FOUR! Top shot. This innings may not be a big thing regarding a big score to enhance Marnus Labuschagne's career, but to spend some time in the middle will give a big boost to his confidence. With Webster, Konstas and McSweeney in the reckoning and Cameron Green expected to be fit for the World Test Championship final, the calls are getting louder by every match to drop Labuschagne from the side. It is all about confidence and this shot shows he is not short of that. Full, on middle and leg, Labuschagne comes forward and whips it efficiently with his wrists, getting it through mid-wicket for a boundary. 9 more runs needed to win now.

Fuller on middle, watchfully defended.

Outside leg, Marnus looks to sweep but misses. The keeper is blinded and misses the ball as well and by the time short fine leg can cut it off, two byes are taken. This stand is worth 30 now.

Tossed up, much fuller, around middle, Marnus Labuschagne stays low and digs it out towards square leg.

Floated up, around leg, Marnus Labuschagne comes forward and pads it away.

Comes around the wicket, flighted up, around middle, Marnus Labuschagne flicks it towards mid on off the front foot.

Landed on off, on a good length, stabbed away but to short cover.

A full toss on off, Usman Khawaja laps it behind to deep fine for a single.

Tossed up, on a good length, on leg, Marnus Labuschagne rocks back and taps it to the leg side.

FOUR! How about that for a shot? Nishan drops a fuller-length delivery, around off, Marnus Labuschagne smothers the spin, uses his wrists and drills it straight down the ground past mid off for a boundary.

Fuller and angling on the leg stump, Labuschagne pushes it along the ground to long on for a single.

Slow, full, on off, blocked out safely by Usman. Just 13 runs required to win now.

Two slips in place along with a short leg for Prabath. Lands it on a length, around middle and leg, worked off the back foot to the right of short leg for a single. The short leg fielder, Kamindu Mendis scoots to the ball, picks it up and throws it flat and straight to the keeper where Kusal Mendis comes ahead of the stumps, tries to pick it on the bounce, but is hit on the throat.

Fuller on middle, clipped away to short mid-wicket.

Around the stumps now, full and on middle, Usman Khawaja reverse sweeps it but straight to backward point.

Oh, just so close! Lucky there, is Khawaja! Too full and around off, Usman Khawaja pushes it with hard hands but gets an inside edge and the ball deflects off the boot and passes agonizingly close to the off pole.

Fuller and outside off. Usman Khawaja works it towards long on for an easy single.

Full and on the stumps, Marnus drives it to mid on.

Tossed up, full and on off, Usman Khawaja blocks it in front.

Full, on off, blocked again with a good stride out.

Angling on the leg stump line, Usman Khawaja clips it to the right of the short leg fielder for a quick single.

This goes on with the arm, on a length, and across off, Marnus Labuschagne gets pegged back and backs away to cut to the off side, but is beaten all ends up.

Full on the leg stump, Marnus Labuschagne pushes it through backward point for a single.

Well bowled! Landed on a good length, outside off, straightens up a bit, Usman Khawaja feels for it at first but drops his wrists in the end to let it be.

Fuller, around off, Usman Khawaja shimmies down the track and slaps it hard to mid off for a comfortable single.

FOUR! Right out from the textbook! 50 up for Australia! Too full from Jayasuriya, on off, Marnus Labuschagne gets the front foot out and creates some room for him. Brings his wrists in play and drives it inside out through cover for a boundary.

Straight on the stumps, full and on middle, Marnus Labuschagne presents full face of the bat to defend it out.

JAFFA! Lands it right on the rough, spins away sharply from middle to off, on a good length, Marnus Labuschagne leans ahead to defend but the ball cuts off the surface and beats the outside edge.

A bit full and on middle, defended well.

Nice and full, on middle, Marnus Labuschagne leans and blocks.

In-drifter on off, Usman Khawaja strides ahead and defends it out.

Oh, close! Peiris darts it flat and full, just outside off, Usman Khawaja quickly gets on his knee to sweep but misses.

Nice and full, on off, Usman Khawaja taps it out to cover and wants to cross over, but is sent back by Marnus Labuschagne on a sharp call.

Tap and run! Full, around off, Usman Khawaja lunges forward and eases it in the backward point region for a quick single.

Drags the length back, on the leg stump line, Marnus Labuschagne glances off the back foot to deep backward square leg for a single.

Slower on middle, and on a good length, Usman Khawaja rocks back and steers it to deep square leg for one more. Australia need 28 more runs to win.

A mild appeal for LBW but there is no response from the umpire! Tossed up, much slower, around leg, a big turn, Marnus Labuschagne comes forward and looks to defend it but gets beaten on the inside edge and wears it on the pads. The replays show that it is pitched outside leg.

Floated up, around middle, Marnus Labuschagne blocks it off.

Fuller again, around middle, Marnus Labuschagne comes forward and drops it down towards short leg.

Landed around off, Marnus Labuschagne stays back and pushes it to the off side.

From around the wicket, flighting the ball, on leg stump, 84 kph, with a bit of a round-arm action, Labuschagne gets a big stride in to defend.

Fuller, outside off, 85 kph, Marnus gets a big stride in to defend this solidly.

Tossed up, slower through the air, Marnus Labuschagne shimmies down the track a bit early but manages to keep it down towards mid-wicket.

Floated up, just outside off, Marnus Labuschagne comes forward and drives it to mid off.

FOUR! GLORIOUS! Flighted up, outside off again, Marnus Labuschagne extends his arms as he comes forward and drives it wide of cover for a boundary. Australia need 32 runs more.

Landed a touch short, around off, Marnus Labuschagne goes back and helps it towards short mid-wicket.

This one skids on, from a fuller length, Labuschagne stays back to a full ball and flicks it off the inner half of the bat, with the ball flying past short leg. A single taken.

Full, around off, Usman Khawaja gets forward in defense.

OUT! CAUGHT BEHIND! Sri Lanka pick up the first wicket but is there a twist in the tale for them? Or is it already late for them? Prabath Jayasuriya comes from around the wicket and lands on the nagging length, on the fifth stump, skids through the surface, and goes a bit quicker than expected. Travis Head rocks back and looks to cut it but manages to get an outside edge only to the keeper. Kusal Mendis doesn't do any mistake as he catches it with both hands. 20 (23) for Head, another quick start and even though he is disappointed to not be there at the finish line, has given more than the start his team needed. Australia are 38/1 and need another 37 to win.

Tossed up, around off, Marnus Labuschagne comes forward and looks to defend it but gets beaten on the inside edge and gets hit on the pad. The ball lobs up towards short leg.

Drags his length a bit, around middle, Marnus Labuschagne goes back and looks to play it to the leg side but misses and gets hit on the back pad again. There is an appeal for LBW but is turned down as it is going down the leg side. 

Full, on middle and leg, 87 kph, Marnus Labuschagne gets off the mark, with a gentle clip through mid-wicket. Takes the single.

Landed around off, 85 kph, Usman Khawaja reverse sweeps it towards short third.

Action replay of the previous delivery. Another reverse sweep, cannot get it past Nishan Peiris at short third again. A run and a wicket from the over, Prabath Jayasuriya's figures read 2-0-9-1.

Tossed up, around off, Usman Khawaja comes forward and pushes it to mid on for a quick single.

Nagging length, quicker, but down the leg side, Travis Head goes back to flick it but misses as the ball brushes his front pad and goes to the keeper.

Fired in full, around middle, Travis Head makes room a bit and drills it to mid on for a quick single.

Fired in on off, 85 kph, coming in with the angle, Usman Khawaja looks to play it from the back foot, but gets squared up. Gets an outside edge which goes on the bounce to Dhananjaya de Silva at first slip.

FOUR! Up and over! Tossed up, outside off, Khawaja comes down the track and just lofts it over mid off, getting a boundary. That's more than half the runs chewed off the target. 37 more needed to win.

Full, around middle, Usman defends.

Starts from over the wicket, nagging length, around off, Travis Head goes back and nudges it to mid-wicket. 

FOUR! Australia are in a hurry! Floated up, but overpitched, around middle, Travis Head goes on his knee and sweeps it towards deep backward square leg for a boundary. 

Drops it short, touch outside off, Travis Head rocks back and cuts it in the gap towards sweeper cover. Nishan Peiris runs in to his left and saves the boundary. The batters run a couple.

Full, well outside off, Travis Head gets a big stride to defend but then decides to pad it away, by keeping his bat behind the pad. There is an LBW shout, but it is turned down. Now, the thing to be noted here - was a shot played? If yes, the impact was miles outside off. If no, the impact does not matter. Dhananjaya de Silva ponders with his mates and takes the review. Replays seem to suggest that initially, Head looked to pad it away and then tried to play a shot, after the ball went past the bat. Interestingly, Ball Tracking data says NO SHOT OFFERED but the projection says that the ball is not spinning in enough to hit the off stump. Review lost for Sri Lanka.

Full, around off, Head gets down and reverse sweeps this behind point for a couple.

Outside off, going on wih the arm, Travis looks to punch but misses. 

 Fuller and around the off stump. Head gets beaten as the ball zips past the outside edge.

FOUR! Slapped! Too full, an overpitched delivery, on the stumps, Travis Head finds the ball in his arc and shovels it up and over the bowler's head for a boundary. It lands just a yard before the boundary ropes.

Short and just outside off, Travis cuts it through cover for a single.

FOUR! Easy peasy, says Khawaja! Full and drifting into the left-hander, on middle and leg, Usman Khawaja sweeps it through square leg. Lahiru Kumara starts to run from deep backward square leg to his right, but it is more of a jog and he is not even close to the ball as it reaches the ropes.

Nice and full, on off, blocked in front.

FOUR! A freebie and Khawaja says 'Thank You'! Ramesh slips in a loopy full toss around off, Usman Khawaja cashes on it, takes it on the full and flicks it past the gap between mid on and mid-wicket for a boundary. Australia are up and running in this chase and need just 51 more runs to win.

 Full around off, Head pushes it to the bowler.

Short, punched to the cover region.

Dragged length, outside off, a bit quicker through the air, Head cuts away to the deep cover for a single.

Full and on off, paddled fine to deep fine for a couple of runs.

Length, and around off, Khawaja defends off the back foot to backward point.

Arm ball, drifting into the left-hander, full and on off, Usman Khawaja responds with a solid front foot block.

Short on the stumps, spins away, Khawaja blocks it off the back foot.

Good length, outside off, punched away hard but straight to the fielder at cover. Pathum Nissanka dives to his right to intercept the ball.

Nice and full, floated up around off, blocked out.

Flights it up, full and on off, drifting in and turning away, Khawaja is beaten on the outside edge. Kusal collects it near his chest.

Tossed up outside off, Khawaja gets forward for a drive but the ball zips past the outside edge.

Full and around leg, Khawaja presses forward and blocks it to short leg.

Slower through the air, full and outside off, Usman Khawaja leans forward and drives it along the spin and along the ground. Gets a single at long off.

Whoa! Good grip and turn and Head is totally beaten! Pitches it on a length, around off and turns away sharply off the deck, Travis Head goes back to block and gets beaten on the outside edge.

And this goes straight on!  Flighted ball, just outside off, it lands and keeps drifting in, Head makes a very close leave as the ball passes scaringly close to the off pole.

BEATEN AGAIN! Pitches fuller and then grips and turns away from the left-hander around off, Head leans ahead to defend, plays inside the and gets beaten.

FOUR! Not an ideal length now after two snorters! Dropped short outside off, Head rocks back and throws his hands at it, and somehow manages to hit it over covers. Kumara from long off runs to his right to cut it off but the ball wins the race. 67 more to win.

Flatter on the stumps, Head punches it off the back foot straight back.

Around the wickets, tossed up, full and around off, Usman Khawaja takes a stride ahead and defends it straight back to the bowler.

Australia are off the mark in the chase! Pitched right up, full and on middle and leg, Usman Khawaja clips it nicely along the ground to deep square leg for a single.

Nice and full, looped around off, Travis Head drives it straight to the bowler.

That in-dipper on the stumps, Head carves it out to cover.

Slightly drags the length back, does Ramesh Mendis, outside off, Head punches it off the back foot through covers for a single.

Short and gripping away from off, Khawaja punches it towards the cover-point region for a single to end the first over.