All-round Australia beat SL to complete Test series whitewash: Stats
What's the story
Australia have completed a Test series whitewash against Sri Lanka, beating them by nine wickets in the second and final game in Galle.
The Aussies comfortably chased down the 75-run target on Day 4 after bundling out the hosts for 231.
While Nathan Lyon and Matthew Kuhnemann shared 14 wickets in the game, Steve Smith and Alex Carey made tons.
Let's decode the key stats from the game.
Summary
How did the game pan out?
Fifties from Kusal Mendis (85*) and Dinesh Chandimal (74) helped SL post 257/10 while batting first. Lyon and Kuhnemann dismissed three batters each.
Australia posted a brilliant 414/10 in response as Smith (131) and Carey (156) made their bat talk.
Angelo Mathews (76) and Mendis (50) were SL's half-centurions in the third innings as they managed 231/10. Lyon and Kuhnemann took four wickets each.
The visitors broke no sweat while chasing the 75-run target.
Chandimal
3rd fifty against the Aussies for Chandimal
Chandimal made 74 off 163 balls in his first outing.
As per ESPNcricinfo, he has now raced to 6,208 runs at 43.41. This was his 32nd fifty in Tests. He also owns 16 fifties.
Chandimal now owns 768 runs against Australia from 10 matches at 45.17.
This was his 3rd fifty versus Australia (100s: 2). Chandimal is closing in on 3,000 Test runs at home (2,973). His average is 48.73.
Mendis
Twin fifties for Mendis
Mendis backed his 85* off 139 balls in the first innings with a 54-ball 50.
Playing his 71st Test, Mendis has raced to 4,668runs at 36.75. In addition to 10 tons, he has slammed 21 fifties.
As per ESPNcricinfo, Mendis now owns 645 runs versus the Aussies at 40.31. He registered his fourth fifty against them (100: 1).
Smith
36th Test ton for Smith
Smith's 131 from 254 balls marked his second successive ton and 36th overall in the format.
Playing his 116th Test, Smith has now raced past 10,271 runs at 56.74.
The series opener saw Smith clock his 35th Test ton in addition to surpassing 10,000 runs.
He now owns 36 tons besides 41 fifties.
In seven matches versus Sri Lanka, he has over 670 runs at 67(100s: 4, 50: 1).
Records
Smith scripts these records
Smith now owns the joint-most Test tons among active players alongside England's Joe Root (36 each).
While this was Smith's 17th Test ton as captain, only Ponting (19) has more such scores while leading Australia.
The stand-in Aussie skipper now also owns the joint-third-most Test tons among non-Asian batters in Asia (7).
En route to his ton, Smith beame Australia's highest run-scorer in Tests in Asia (1,994 at 52.47).
Historic achievement
Smith joins elite club with 200th Test catch
Notably, Smith's catch of Mendis's shot off Lyon was his 200th in Test cricket, making him the first Australian and only the fifth player globally to do so.
However, the celebration was marred by concerns over Smith's elbow injury which seemed to have been aggravated during play.
He appeared to hyper-extend his elbow while throwing from point, something he had been avoiding due to his injury.
Carey
Career-best score for Carey
Carey's 156 off 188 balls saw him slam 15 fours and two sixes. In 39 matches, Carey owns 1,757 runs in Tests at 35.14.
This is now his best Test score. He owns two tons and 9 fifties.
The southpaw has 526 runs in Asia at 43.83 (100s: 1, 50s: 2).
The Aussie star has raced to 291 Test runs against the Lankans at 97.
Record
Carey joined Adam Gilchrist with Test century in Asia
As per ESPNcricinfo, Carey became the first Aussie keeper to script a 150-plus Test score in Asia.
He went past Adam Gilchrist, who made 144 each in Kandy (2004) and Fatullah (2006).
No other Aussie keeper owns a ton in the continent.
Meanwhile, Carey's 156 is now the fourth-highest score by a non-Asian keeper in Asia.
Mathews
Mathews shows his mettle
Mathews was solid for Sri Lanka in the third innings and scored a vital 76 runs from 149 balls.
This took him to 8,167 runs at 44.62. In addition to 16 tons, he now owns 45 fifties.
As per ESPNcricinfo, Mathews has amassed 817 runs against Australia from 13 matches at 38.90.
This was his 6th fifty against Australia (100s: 1).
Jayasuriya
11th fifer for Jayasuriya in Tests
Jayasuriya took 5/151 in his first outing. The left-arm spinner has raced to 116 Test scalps at 30.17.
He picked his 11th five-wicket haul. Jayasuriya also owns two 10-wicket match hauls.
As per ESPNcricinfo, he owns 463 scalps in First-Class cricket. He picked his 36th fifer.
This was his third five-wicket haul against the Aussies as he now owns 21 wickets against them at 26-plus.
Meanwhile, 90 of his Test wickets have come at home at 25.38.
Club
Seventh bowler with this feat
The game saw Lyon become the second off-spinner to complete 550 wickets in Test cricket.
Overall, he became the seventh bowler and third Australian to achieve this feat.
He too became the first non-Asian bowler to take 150 Test wickets in Asia (now 154).
Lyon achieved his 150th Test wicket in Asia in his 30th match, averaging 30.05 (5W: 11, 10WM: 2).
Career
Seven wickets in the game for Lyon
Lyon recorded figures worth 3/96 and 4/84 in the match.
The veteran spinner has now raced to 553 scalps from 136 Test matches at 30.19.
He has 24 fifers in the format (10WM: 5). Meanwhile, the series opener also Lyon complete 50 Test wickets against Sri Lanka.
Lyon also went past Shane Warne to become Australia's most successful Test bowler against Sri Lanka.
The fomer has raced to 60 wickets across 15 games against SL at 31.98 (5W: 2).
Kuhnemann
16 wickets in the series for Kuhnemann
Kuhnemann claimed figures worth 4/63 and 3/63 in the game.
He hence finished the recently concluded series with 16 wickets at 17.18, the most for any bowler.
With an incredible overall Test record of 25 wickets in five Tests at an average of 22.20, Kuhnemann is being tipped as Lyon's successor after the latter's retirement post the 2027 Ashes tour.
Kuhnemann, who owns two Test fifers, has raced to 97 First-Class wickets, as per ESPNcricinfo.
Information
Historic win for Sri Lanka
Australia clinched their first series on Sri Lankan soil in 14 years. This also marks Australia's first clean sweep of a series in Asia since 2006. Skipper Smith was named the Player of the Series for smoking two tons.