Pakistan v Sri Lanka 2017: 2nd Test, Day 2 – Statistical Highlights

Sri Lanka put themselves in a safe position in the 2nd Test as the opener Dimuth Karunaratne’s 196-run knock helped the visiting side post 482 runs in the first innings. After Dinesh Chandimal’s departure, Niroshan Dickwella and Dilruwan Perera scored fifties to take Sri Lanka towards a big score. Pakistan in their innings ended the 2nd day with 51 runs on the board for no loss.

Here we look at all the stats and records created during the day’s play.

1 – Yasir Shah became the first spinner in Test history to take 5-wicket hauls in five consecutive Test matches. Three other bowlers (pacers) have taken 5-wicket hauls in six and more consecutive Test matches.

4 – Number of instances where Sri Lanka stitched five fifty-plus stands before losing six wickets. The last such instance was against Bangladesh at Galle in 2013. Sri Lanka had five 50+ partnerships for first six wickets against India in 2008 and Zimbabwe in 2001 at Colombo (SSC).

8 – Sri Lanka’s No.5, No.6 and No.7 scoring fifties in the same innings was the 8th such instance for them in Test cricket. The last of the previous eight was at Galle against Bangladesh earlier in March this year. Seven out of the eight instances including this came in Asia while the other was at Harare.

161 – Number of wickets Yasir Shah has taken in Test cricket so far. These are the most by any player in first 28 Test matches in the career. He went past Waqar Younis, who picked up 159 wickets in his first 28 Tests. Sydney Barnes had 187 wickets in the 27 Test matches he played.

184 – Yasir Shah conceded 184 runs in the Sri Lankan innings. Had Yasir conceded 200+, he could have been the first player to record three double centuries with the ball in Test cricket. Only Yasir, Vinoo Mankad and Saqlain Mushtaq have conceded 200+ runs in a Test innings more than once.

196 – Dimuth Karunaratne’s 196 is the 2nd closest a Sri Lankan has come to a double century in Test cricket. Kumar Sangakkara was unbeaten on 199 against Pakistan at Galle in 2012 while Sanath Jayasuriya was dismissed on 199 against India in 1997 at Colombo (SSC).

482 – Sri Lanka’s total of 482 is their highest away from home in the last five years excluding against Bangladesh and Zimbabwe. Sri Lanka scored 483 against Pakistan in 2011 at Abu Dhabi.

2004 – The last instance of a Sri Lankan opener scoring a double hundred in Tests was Sanath Jayasuriya’s 253 against Pakistan in 2004 at Faisalabad. Dimuth Karunaratne’s 196 is the highest score by a Lankan opener in Tests since then.