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Best match figures by Sri Lankan bowlers on Test debut

By Gaurav Tripathi

Sep 29, 2024

05:01 pm

What's the story

Debutant off-spinner Nishan Peiris was instrumental to Sri Lanka's innings win over New Zealand in the final Test in Galle.

After dismissing three batters in his first outing, Peiris claimed a six-fer.

He became the third SL bowler to take at least nine wickets in his maiden Test.

Here we look at the best match figures by a Lankan bowler on Test debut.

Left-arm spinner Prabath Jayasuriya made his Test debut against Australia in 2022 and made an instant impact.

He claimed six-fers across both innings as his match figures of 12/177 are the best for a Lankan bowler on debut, as per ESPNcricinfo.

His efforts meant the Lankans registered a massive win by an innings and 39 runs.

Praveen Jayawickrama was the first Sri Lankan to claim 10 or more wickets on Test debut.

The left-arm spinner achieved this feat during the 2021 Pallekele match against Bangladesh.

After claiming 6/92 in his first outing, Jayawickrama took another fifer in his second outing to finish with figures worth 11/178.

Riding on his efforts, SL recorded a comfortable 209-run triumph.

Peiris, who claimed 3/33 in his first outing, returned with 6/170 in his second outing.

The off-spinner dismissed Tom Latham for a duck in the opening over.

Kane Williamson and Rachin Ravindra were his other victims on Day 3.

On Day 4, he trapped half-centurions Tom Blundell, Glenn Phillips, and Mitchell Santner.

His efforts meant SL won by an innings and 154 runs.

Spinners Ajantha Mendis and Akila Dananjaya are the only other SL bowlers to claim at least eight wickets on Test debut.

The former claimed 8/132 in SL's innings win over India in the 2008 Colombo Test.

He claimed twin four-fers. Dananjaya registered 8/44 as SL beat Bangladesh by 215 runs in the 2018 Mirpur match.

This includes a fourth-inning fifer.