SL's Dinesh Chandimal smashes his 23rd Test fifty: Key stats
Sri Lanka's Dinesh Chandimal cashed in on his rip-roaring form to pummel an unbeaten 86 off 121 deliveries against Pakistan on Day 3. The middle-order batter hit five fours and two sixes, guiding the hosts to a 333-run lead (329/9). He had scored a hostile 76 in the first innings. Notably, he has raced to 23 fifties in Tests. We decode his stats.
Why does this story matter?
Chandimal underwent a dull phase in his Test career between 2019-21. 2022 has looked promising for him. He has batted like his vintage self, with hefty contributions in four of the five Tests. As for the ongoing Test, he came out at 164/4 to produce a crunch knock for the Lankans. He has already amassed over 600 Test runs in 2022.
Chandimal's performance in WTC 2021-23
Chandimal has upped his game considerably in the ICC World Test Championship 2021-23. So far, he has aggregated 669 runs at 83.62. He has two hundreds and three fifties. Only Dimuth Karunaratne (746) ranks above Chandimal in terms of most runs in this interval for Sri Lanka. He surpassed Marnus Labuschagne (654) to be ranked 10th overall on the list.
SL vs AUS: Player of the Series
Chandimal had class written all over him in the concluded two-match Test series against Australia. The middle-order batter hammered 219 runs while averaging a mighty 109.50. He clocked a career-best score of 206* in the series decider at Galle, which SL won by an innings. It was his maiden double-hundred in Tests. He was adjudged as the Player of the Series.
How has Chandimal fared against Pakistan in Tests?
Chandimal has smacked 815 Test runs against Pakistan at 42.89. He has a hundred and seven fifties. His last eight scores read 7, 62, 0, 2, 74, 2, 76, and 86*. He has surpassed Kaushal Silva (785) in terms of most Test runs versus Pakistan.
