South Africa vs Sri Lanka, 2019: 1st Test – Statistical Highlights

Sri Lanka completed a historic win in South Africa as they defeated the hosts by one-wicket margin in the first Test of the two-match series in Durban. Kusal Perera’s bravery in the 4th innings handed a record victory for Sri Lanka who now has a chance to register their maiden Test series win in this country.

Kusal scored an unbeaten 153 during the 304-run chase. He put on a 96-run stand with Dhananjaya de Silva for the 6th wicket before losing four wickets for 20 runs. However, his gritty unbeaten 78-run stand with Vishwa Fernando took the game away from home team’s grasp.

Here are all the major stats and numbers recorded during a thrilling Test match in Kingsmead:

A record century from Kusal Perera:

1 – Kusal Perera became the first player from Asia to score a century in the 4th innings of a Test match in South Africa. The previous highest 4th innings score in South Africa by an Asian player was 95 by Inzamam-ul-Haq in the 1995 Johannesburg Test.

153* – The unbeaten 153 by Kusal Perera is the highest individual Test score by Sri Lankan in South Africa surpassing Thilan Samaraweera’s 115* in the 2012 Cape Town Test match.

153* – Kusal’s 153* is also the 2nd highest individual score in the 4th innings by a Sri Lankan. Kumar Sangakkara’s 192 in the 2007 Hobart Test against Australia is the highest.

A record partnership:

78* – The unbeaten 78-run partnership between Kusal Perera and Vishwa Fernando is the highest 10th wicket stand in a successful chase in Test cricket. The previous highest was 57* between Inzamam-ul-Haq and Mushtaq Ahmed against Australia in the 1994 Karachi Test.

78* – The 78-run stand between Kusal and Fernando is also the highest 10th wicket stand in a successful chase in first-class cricket. The previous highest was 77* between Tom Leather and Ron Oxenham for Australians against Madras in 1936.

A record chase for Sri Lanka:

304 – Sri Lanka’s successful chase of 304 is the 5th highest by any team in South Africa. The top four chases in South Africa are recorded by Australia and South Africa.

This is also the highest chase in Test cricket for Sri Lanka outside home. Their 220-run chase in 2000 Rawalpindi Test against Pakistan is the previous highest for the Lankans outside home.

304 – Sri Lanka’s 304-run chase is the 2nd highest for an Asian team away from home. India chased down 403 against Windies in the 1976 Port of Spain Test.

A dream debut for Embuldeniya:

4 – Lasith Embuldeniya is only the 4th spinner to claim a 5-wicket haul on Test debut in South Africa. England’s George Simpson-Hayward in 1910 claimed 6/43 against the hosts. The South African spinners Albert Rose-Innes and George Rowe claimed 5-fers in 1889 and 1896 respectively on their Test debut.

5/66 – Lasith Embuldeniya became only the 4th Sri Lankan to take a 5-wicket haul on Test debut. Upul Chandana picked 6/179 in 1999 while Akila Dananjaya in 2018 and Kosala Kuruppuarachchi in 1986 claimed 5/24 and 5/44 respectively.

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