1.37 pm: Oh man that was emotional. Can't believe we will never see Sangakkara bat again in an international game. Takes you back a little to that Sachin Tendulkar farewell does this, so emotional, so touching was that speech of Sanga's. Sorry, if I couldn't get all the names and the entire speech down pat.
I also would just like to say, Thank You Sanga, thanks for the memories and those delightful strokes. Every single cricket fan will miss you.
So, summing it up, India came with something to prove in this Test match, and prove it they did right from the off. They were in control from the off, and never relinquished it, with the bowlers, led by Ashwin, coming to the fore on this final day to overwhelm Sri Lanka, who could not give a fitting farewell to their legend Sangakkara.
That's it from me folks, it's been fun. Stick around for more coverage on this Test match, and see you back for a live blog for the third Test match, which begins on Friday.
1.25 pm: Kumar Sangakkara: I've got so many people to thank, first everyone here for taking the time to come and spend the day or two or five watching the game of cricket. Starting off with my school Trinity College Kandy. It was an amazing school to go to and I owe a lot to the grounding and foundation I got there. To all my coaches, Mr. Sunil Fernando, he was from my rival school but he was kind enough to coach me and everything he has taught me, it has stood me in good stead.
To all my past captains, to SLC, to all my teammates thank you very much for all that you have done for me. The commitment that you have shown I value very very highly. I'm going to miss the dressing room a lot. To my manager Charlie, thank you. A lot of people asked me who inspired me and I always say that I didn't have to look for for inspiration, because I have my parent here with me (Sanga is tearing up here). I have the most amazing parent that anyone could wish for and the most amazing siblings. The only place I could go and feel safe was at home (Sanga finding it hard to hold back the tears). I have been blessed with an extended family. But I'm so glad that I was born as your children and your sibling, thank you very much.
I'm sorry I don't usually get emotional, but my family being here is very rare and I'm very very thankful.
I have had 15 wonderful years playing this game, everyone asks about my achievements. When I look up at the box today and I see all mu friends, people I've met along my life to have all my family here to all my friends to go back home and spend some time with my family to see that they still love me and that love is unconditional that will always be my greatest achievement.
Thank you for the Sri Lankan fans it has been a great privilege to represent you. He also gives a special message to the fans in Sinhalese. Finally to Virat and the Indian team, thank you very much for everything, your kindness, but most of all for the wonderful cricket you have played I can't ask for anything more than that. You have always been our toughest opponents and we will try to beat you again next game.
To Angelo and the team, you have got an amazing team and an amazing future. Work hard and play the sport, this sport that you only play for a short time, keep Sri Lanka and the flag flying high.
Thank you very much, thank you.
1.27 pm: Sunil Gavaskar: A moment of mixed emotions for all of us. The joy and happiness of India winning the series, and at the same time this is a moment tinged with great sadness that one of the greatest cricketers to have walked this planet has bid goodbye. You have manfully borne the responsibility of Sri Lankan cricket over the past cricket, and what you have achieved then is what people are going to remember forever. You've been the big brother to the players in the dressing room. The sound of the ball hitting the middle of the bat and going away for boundaries is something that no cricket lover is ever going to forget. Kumar I want to wish you an excellent second innings if life, your fist innings has been one of incredible memories. Where I come from, in my mother tongue, Kumar is referred to young boys, and when they get older, they are referred to Sree, but to all of us, you are always going to be Kumar. I would also like to invite you as a member of the former cricketer's club!
1.21 pm: A "Thank You Sanga" T-shirt, signed by players from both Sri Lanka and India, is also given to Sangakkara. While Kohli gives a team shirt signed by the India team as well to the great left-hander. Ranatunga, the Sri Lanka prime minister and president also give mementos to Sangakkara, who looks a little overwhelmed by all the support here. You deserve it Sanga, you deserve every one of those and more. The president offers Sangakkara the high commissioner's post in the UK.
1.17 pm: Some mementos now for Sangakkara, including one from his former college.
1.14 pm: SLC Chairman: I have been reading many tributes, full of glowing praise describing Kumar Sangakkara's on field and off field greatness. I can only sum it up by saying that he has truly been a phenomenal performer both on and off the field. He will undoubtedly be an inspirational role model to many aspiring cricketers worldwide. SLC takes great pride in saluting him.
1.12 pm: Lot of dignitaries for Sangakkara's felicitation, including that great Sri Lanka captain Arjuna Ranatunga. Sunil Gavaskar is also there.
12.58 pm: Don't go anywhere people, there is a special award ceremony for Sangakkara coming up.
12.57 pm: Virat Kohli: Absolutely we came close twice, once in Adelaide once in Galle. We played really good cricket in those games as well, especially the one in Galle, where we lost one session. A commendable effort from the boys to come together after that loss and put up such a performance in this Test match. Rahul set the tone by taking that blinder and that was really good for us and it helped us lift ourselves. That was a perfect start and from there on the bowlers kept the pressure up. It was about bowling attacking lines, and we did not want to give the game to go on for too long. Stuart [Binny] as well bowled well in the first innings. We have some new guys coming in, very exciting youngster in Karun Nair and Naman Ojha as well. We haven't thought about the changes for the third Test, we need to sit down and figure out who needs to play in the next game.
We needed to improve on taking the half-chances and that is the difference in Test cricket, and converting those chances into wickets. That just turns the whole match around. Something we've really worked hard on as a team and we are getting the results.
I just want to congratulate Kumar again for a wonderful career. I cannot help but say this once again, it's been a pleasure playing against and with you, and best of luck going forward.
12.52 pm: KL Rahul is the man of the match: I was a wicketkeeper for my state till the u-19s. I've always enjoyed wicketkeeping, really happy with my catch in the morning and helped my team win. Pleasing for me as a youngster to get a couple of hundreds in four games that I have played. Will go into the next Test matches more confident.
12.50 pm: Angelo Mathews: Pretty disappointed with the way things went. More disappointed we couldn't get the win for Sanga, we just didn't play our best cricket. The best days for batting was the second and third day and we couldn't capitalise. After getting that lead, the Indians batted really well in the second innings and they put us under pressure. We are disappointed with the way we batted today, we could have put up a better show, but the Indians bowled really well, Ashwin put us under pressure.
I just want to thank Sangakkara on behalf of the players. We cannot thank him enough for what he has done.
12.48 pm: Impact player of the second Test is Ajinkya Rahane. Geez they milk these ceremonies don't they with unnecessary awards.
12.47 pm: Ashwin is the most exciting player of the Test match, whatever that means.
12.42 pm: This is the first Test win as captain for Kohli, and while some of his decisions raised those eyebrows again, he can only go from strength to strength after leading such an assured performance from his side.
12.40 pm: R Ashwin: The spell this morning has to be one of the best I have bowled. The drift, the spin, can't ask for more. I have learnt from my mistakes, and I have really worked at correcting them made an honest attempt and I am really pleased. The pitch here are not exactly batter-friendly, there is something there for the bowlers. But the wicket is really slow, so you really need to focus. This morning I made a conscious effort to put a lot of overspin on the ball. I was heartbroken at the end of the first Test, but what we did really well was we sat and talked about it and leave it open. Having done that, the small break between the Tests helped and I think we played five good days of Test cricket here and that is why we won.
12.37 pm: All eyes on Sangakkara as he shakes hands with the Indian team and gets a few warm hugs as well. What a sad way for the great man to bow out. Sri Lanka will wish they could have had the first and second Tests reversed, because that Galle win would have been a fitting finale.
In the end, though, nothing can take be taken away from Sangakkara. For the longest time he was criminally underrated, but he finally got his due over the last couple of years, and he is undoubtedly, in my book at least, the greatest batsman that Sri Lanka has ever had. Aravinda De Silva and Mahela Jayawardene come close, but Sangakkara is just a notch above them.
12.33 pm: Chameera gets going with a slog sweep over midwicket, and then a stumping chance is missed as Chameera comes down the track and misses the ball. But next ball Wicket, Chameera gone! It's the googly again, Chameera decides to shoulder arms and it strikes him in front.Muted celebrations probablybecause that break kind of took the zing out of the contest, that was already over a long while back. Sri Lanka 134 all out in 43.4 overs. India win the match by 279 runs to level the series 1-1.
12.31 pm: Umesh starts with short balls, one over the wicket, and the others around – same effect though as Herath ducks under them. Sri Lanka 130/9 in 43 overs, 283 needed.
12.26 pm: Almost there for the second session. Sri Lanka 130/9 in 42.3 overs, with Umeshto complete his over.
11.54 am: This session would have been extended by a further half an hour with only one wicket to go. But the rain came down and it is Lunch. It has slowed down considerably, but the covers are yet to be taken off. Don't think the groundsmen, so enthusiastic usually, will be too keen to take them off this time. Sri Lanka 130/9 in 42.3 overs at Lunch, with seven wickets falling for just 58 runs in this session.
11.48 am: Umesh it is one more time Tries the short one and then the full delivery, but wait oh no, the rain is here and the covers are coming on. Sri Lanka will want this rain to stay for the whole day today, while India will just want to get onto the field and finish the match off. It does look like a passing shower, albeit a heavy one, with some blue skies still around.
11.47 am: Dushmantha Chameera is the No.11. Nearly out first ball in identical fashion to the Kaushal wicket, but this time Tucker says no. Sri Lanka 128/9 in 42 overs, 285 needed.
11.44 am: Mishra again and Kaushal defends well again. No worries at all for the No.10 batsman, as Kaushal gets a boundary as well, pulling a short ball to square-leg. Wicket, Kaushal (5, 12b, 1x4) gone! Spoken too soon. The googly from Mishra does the trick. Kaushal plays for the normal leg-spinner, so the ball misses his bat and strikes him on the pads. India go up in appeal, and umpire Rod Tucker nods his head to send the batsman on his way. Sri Lanka 128/9 in 41.5 overs.
11.41 am: Umesh has been brought in to clean up the tail. Ashwin would not have liked that too much, for sure. Full, short and short are the first three balls, which Kaushal plays well. Umesh then comes around the wicket to the right-hander and bangs one in again, it hits the batsman's gloves, but does not loop up to a fielder. It's his right hand and the physio is called in. The last thing Sri Lanka will want is to see one of their main bowlersinjured, with the third Test match coming soon. No retiring hurt, Kaushal is gutsing it out. Expect one more short ball from Umesh here. Doesn't quite happen, as the bowlers bowls one on his pads and he takes a single to fine-leg. Herath defends the final ball. Sri Lanka 124/8 in 41 overs, 289 needed.
11.34 am: Mishra now, but he can't pick up another wicket, as Herath sees the over off. Sri Lanka 123/8 in 40 overs, 290 needed.
11.32 am: Tharindu Kaushal in now. Defends Ashwin for the remaining deliveries in the over. Sri Lanka 123/8 in 39 overs, 290 needed.
11.29 am: Karunaratne continues to impress. Gets a boundary off Ashwin with a sweep shot to backward square-leg, but as I write that Wicket, Karunaratne (46, 103b, 6x4) gone! Was playing so well was the left-hander, but the arm ball does the trick here for Ashwin, who grabs another five-for. Comes in and Karunaratne is caught by surprise a little, hits the inside-edge, then his pads and goes onto the stumps. Sri Lanka 123/8 in 38.4 overs.
11.27 am: Noplans for Karunaratne to farm the strike. Takes a single to third man third ball, giving Ishant three deliveries to Herath. The left-hander sees him through, taking a couple final ball with a slap to the offside, with Ishant bowling a bouncer-wide as well. Sri Lanka 119/7 in 38 overs, 294 needed.
11.22 am: The batsmen had crossed and Karunaratne takes a single again going down the track. Rangana Herath, the new man, defends the final ball. Sri Lanka 115/7 in 37 overs, 298 needed.
11.19 am: Karunaratne has played well amidst the crumble. Uses his feet again to loft Ashwin over mid-on for three runs, which means Prasad is on strike with four balls to go. Wicket, Prasad (0, 4b) gone! Oh dear, one ball he defends and then goes down the wicket and goes for the big six. All the ball does is go high up in the air and Mishra takes the catch safely. Sri Lanka 114/7 in 36.4 overs.
11.16 am: Dhammika Prasad is the next one to come in. Just about see the over off. Sri Lanka 111/6 in 36 overs, 302 needed.
11.13 am: A couple of keep-the-pressure overs from Ishant and finally Sri Lanka get some runs off him as Karunaratne hits a boundary with a nice straight drive. Takes a single next to bring Jehan Mubarak on strike for the first time and Wicket, Mubarak gone! Ishant plays with the no-ball again, with the umpire checking to see if he overstepped, but the replays show just enough of Ishant's boot behind the line and Mubarak can walk for a first ball duck. Perfect ball to the new batsman, just leaving him and tempting him to play. The left-hander does just that and the outside edge is well taken by Virat Kohli, not the best of slip fielders, low down. Sri Lanka 111/6 in 35.4 overs.
11.08 am: Ashwin again after the drinks break. Thirimanne defends well enough for five ball and then Wicket, Thirimanne (11, 26b, 1x6) gone! Pressure, pressure. After five dots in the over, Thirimanne uses his feet to try and turn one to the onside. Wrong call, the ball spins enough to take the outside edge and loop a catch to Cheteshwar Pujara at silly point. Sri Lanka 106/5 in 35 overs, 307 needed.
11.02 am: Ishant is keeping it nice and tight, bowls another solid over. Sri Lanka 106/4 in 34 overs, 307 needed. Drinks time.
10.58 am: Ashwin goes down leg first ball and Thirimanne picks up an easy three. Karunaratne then takes a quick single to mid-off, Umesh hits the stumps at the striker's end, but the batsman was well in. Sri Lanka have plans to use their feet to Ashwin, because the moment they don't the bowler causes plenty of problems. There is an appeal for caught behind made as well, a little optimistic as Thirimanne plays and misses. Really good over from Ashwin here. Sri Lanka 106/4 in 33 overs, 307 needed.
10.53 am: With the two left-handers in, and Mishra not as effective, Ishant Sharma is brought back by Kohli. On the stumps again is Ishant, with a couple just going on the angle from over the wicket. Considering India's penchant to bowl around the wicket to the left-handers, I'm surprised he hasn't done it yet. Over the wicket is working, though, as an lbw appeal is made for a ball that strikes Karunaratne's pads. Hit him in line, but pitching outside leg and was a bit high as well. Good over from Ishant. Sri Lanka 102/4 in 32 overs, 311 needed.
10.49 am: Ashwin hasn't quite found his range yet, be that line or length. Comfortably played by the Sri Lanka batsmen in this over, until the last ball that is, when one zips and turns and beats Thirimanne's bat. Sri Lanka 102/4 in 31 overs, 311 needed
10.45 am: Eight dot balls and Thirimanne says enough of that. Jumps down the track and bangs Mishra over cow corner for a huge six to get off the mark. Takes a single next ball to backward point to take Sri Lanka's score to 100. Mishra certainly wishes there was a right-hander batting, because the left-handers are looking comfortable playing him. Sri Lanka 100/4 in 30 overs, 313 needed.
10.41 am: Yup, Ashwin it is. Bit of turn first ball, and Karunaratne is watchful. Takes a single second ball to wide mid-on. Thirimanne then uses his feet to try and unsettle the Ashwin, but he can't take any runs off him. Sri Lanka 92/4 in 29 overs, 321 needed.
10.38 am: With two left-handers in, time for R Ashwin maybe.
10.38 am: Lahiru Thirimanne, who batted so well in the first innings, comes to bat. Defends the remaining four ball well. A wicket maiden for Mishra. Sri Lanka 91/4 in 28 overs, 322 needed.
10.35 am: Spin time already with Amit Mishra given the ball. Wicket, Chandimal (15, 30b, 1x4, 1x6) gone! Mishra strikes first over. A dream leg-spinner's wicket this. Chandimal goes for his favourite sweep shot, the shot that hurt India so much in the first Test, but misses it and Mishra knocks the stumps over around his pads. The ball turned prodigiously from the bit of rough that is there. Sri Lanka 91/4 in 27.2 overs.
10.34 am: Spin time already with Amit Mishra given the ball. Wicket, Chandimal gone!
10.30 am: Ishant gets another over, and it is a tight one, even if Chandimal has little trouble dealing with it. Sri Lanka 91/3 in 27 overs, 322 needed.
10.26 am: Easy singles on offer and the Sri Lanka batsmen are more than happy to take them and keep rotating the strike, with the left and right hand combination. Again, can't really understand that tactic, especially with Umesh bowling well. Sri Lanka 90/3 in 26 overs, 323 needed.
10.21 am: Ishant again and after that full length, the bowler decides to dig one in, Chandimal plays the pull shot and it goes over the fine-leg fielder for a six. Chandimal on the counter-attack again. India did not have an answer to it last time around. There might be a deep point, but there is no third man, and Chandimal guides one to the vacant area for a boundary. Sri Lanka 86/3 in 25 overs, 327 needed.
10.16 am: Movement both ways for Umesh, as his first ball of his second over tails in and nearly traps Chandimal in front, with only an inside-edge saving the right-hander. Again, though, Chandimal gets off strike with a single to deep point. Strange tactics this from Kohli, who really has made some "what on earth is he thinking" decisions. Back of a length is Umesh to Karunaratne for the next two balls, with a bouncer thrown in as well, before finishing the over off with a fuller one. Sri Lanka 76/3 in 24 overs, 337 runs needed.
10.12 am: Ishant Sharma is the bowler from the other end and strangely Virat Kohli has quite a few fielders in the deep. Karunaratne takes advantage of one of them, taking a single to deep point second ball for the first runs on Day 5 morning. Ishant might have has a wicket, before that, as Karunaratne was struck on the pads, but the appeal was cut short as the umpire called a no-ball, correctly too, with the fast bowler overstepping the mark considerably. Nice and full is Ishant to Chandimal, who gets off the mark last ball with a single to the onside. Sri Lanka 75/3 in 23 overs, 338 runs needed.
10.06 am: Chandimal is the new batsman. Can he produce some magic again? Yadav errs in line a little bit in the rest of the over, but there are some good balls in there too, including a short one to just let Chandimal know he can't get onto that front foot all the time. Sri Lanka 72/3 in 22 overs, 341 runs needed.
10.01 am: Wicket, Mathews (23, 39b, 3x4) gone! KL Rahul take a bow son! He might be the stand-in wicketkeeper, but who needs Wriddhiman Saha aye. A nice ball from Umesh that swings away, Mathews plays at it, gets a healthy outside edge and there is Rahul, diving to his right to nestle that ball safely in his right glove. Sri Lanka 72/3 in 21.1 overs.
10 am: Umesh Yadav to bowl toMathews. Murali Vijay is in the field, even if he has been ruled out of the third Test match.
9.55 am: Nearly there for play on Day 5. Mathews (23) and Karunaratne (25) are the overnight batsmen, with Sri Lanka on 72/2 in 21 overs, needing another 341 runs.
9.39 am: Some dust coming off the pitch, but the bounce is consistent," says Jonty Rhodes, who also expects the pitch to turn on Day 5, since it is quite dry.
9.37 am: Rohit Sharma: "It has been hard, no doubt about it," says Rohit about his form in Test cricket. "I know what I need to do as a batsman, but let's not worry too much about it, Team India will move forward. Today it gives us an opportunity to win the Test match. I know it will not be easy, there will be a lot of application required from the bowlers and the fielders, who will need to convert those half chances."
9.33 am: A touch cloudy, but no rain. Good news.
8.55 am: What a Day 4 of the second Test match it was, with India slowly, sometimes irritatingly so, but surely setting up a big total for Sri Lanka to chase, before anti-climax decided to be the hero as Kumar Sangakkara fell for just 18 in his final innings in Test and international cricket.
It is all down to the rest of the Sri Lanka batsmen now, led by Angelo Mathews, to save/maybe-even-pull-off-an-unbelievable-victory-for-their-legend this 2nd Test at the P Sara Oval in Colombo, and to see how that match goes, I will be right here, through Day 5, giving you all the live scores and updates in this c'mon-you-can't-leave-now live blog of IBTimes India.
Sri Lanka found a way out of the abyss in the first Test match, but to do it for a second Test might be asking for too much. If there is one player capable of doing it, though, it is Mathews. You add Dinesh Chandimal and Lahiru Thirimanne, with the lesser supporting acts of Dimuth Karunaratne and Jehan Mubarak, you never know, Sangakkara might just get that fitting sendoff after all.
The hosts start Day 5 on 72/2, needing another 341 runs on the final day of this second Test match for a win, after India set Sri Lanka a target of 413.
India's bowlers wilted under the pressure a little – not as much as the batsmen -- in Sri Lanka's second innings of the last Test, but if the five bowlers (yes, I am counting Stuart Binny) can work as a cohesive unit on Day 5, they should be able to apply enough pressure to see the game through.
Will they be able to do that? Do stick around here so that you can follow the match live. The Live Streaming info for Day 5 of the Test match is HERE.
