This Test swung wildly, climaxing with Farveez Maharoof and Lasith Malinga needing just two runs to win. Their successful chase gave Sri Lanka a thrilling one-wicket victory, sealing a 2-0 series lead.
South Africa batted first, posting the highest score of the match—361 runs—thanks to a crucial 161-run partnership between Ashwell Prince and AB de Villiers, despite Muthiah Muralidaran’s five-wicket haul. Sri Lanka replied with 321, buoyed by a century stand for the eighth wicket between Maharoof and Chaminda Vaas, even as Dale Steyn and Makhaya Ntini shared nine wickets.
In their second innings, Muralidaran took seven wickets, restricting South Africa to 311 and setting Sri Lanka a target of 352. Mahela Jayawardene’s lone century stood out, but when he fell, Sri Lanka still needed 11 runs with three wickets in hand. After a couple of quick wickets, Maharoof leveled the scores, and Malinga sealed the victory with a boundary off Nicky Boje.
Harbhajan Singh shocked Australia early with a hat-trick. Steve Waugh responded with his first Test century on Indian soil, helping Australia post 445. India was bowled out for 171 and asked to follow-on.
By the end of the third day, India was 232 for 4, still trailing by 42. VVS Laxman and Rahul Dravid then produced an epic partnership through the entire fourth day, battling extreme heat and humidity with iced towels and physio aid. Laxman scored a monumental 281 in over ten hours, while Dravid contributed 180 in nearly seven and a half hours.
Their partnership set Australia a target of 384. On the final day, India’s spinners, led by Harbhajan Singh who finished with 13 wickets for 196 runs in the match, bowled Australia out, leveling the series in spectacular fashion.
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