Pakistan chase down 342 against Sri Lanka: Key stats
Pakistan have won the first Test versus Sri Lanka. Chasing 342 runs to win, Pakistan got the job done on Day 5 in Galle. The visitors started the day on 222/3 and lost another three wickets before emerging victorious. Pakistan were helped by Abdullah Shafique, who remained unbeaten with a 150-plus score. Shafique's brilliance helped Pakistan floor the Lankans in style.
How did the match pan out?
Sri Lanka rode on Dinesh Chandimal's 76 to post 222/10 in the first innings. Shaheen Afridi was stupendous with the ball, claiming four scalps. Babar Azam scored his seventh Test century to take Pakistan to 218/10 from a position of bother. Prabath Jayasuriya claimed a fifer. SL scored 337/10 in the second innings as Chandimal scored 94*. In response, Pakistan got the job done.
Chandimal shines with twin half-centuries
Chandimal made use of his form shown versus Australia by striking two fifties in this Test. He scored 76 from 115 balls in the first innings and followed it up with a superb 94* from 139 balls. He now has 23 Test fifties and has raced to 4,835 runs at 43.16. Against Pakistan, he has raced to 823 runs at 43.41.
Fernando and Mendis register fifties
Oshada Fernando scored a crucial 125-ball 64 for SL in the second innings. He slammed six fours and a six. Fernando has raced to 970 runs in Tests at 35.92. This was his 6th Test fifty. Kusal Mendis also chipped in with 76 runs. He now has 3,384 runs at 34.88. This was his 15th Test fifty as well.
7th Test century and 3,000 runs for Babar
Babar scored 119 and 55 in this Test to stand out for his side. In the first innings, he slammed his seventh Test century. He followed it up with his 22nd Test fifty. On his way to 55, Babar also got past 3,000 career Test runs. Babar now has 3,025 runs in Tests at 47.26. Against SL, he averages 67.85.
Babar Azam becomes the fastest Asian to 10,000 international runs
Babar also achieved a new milestone in cricket. The stylish batter has become the fastest Asian to slam 10,000 international runs. Babar achieved the mark on Day 2 of the first Test. Babar has now surpassed India's Virat Kohli in terms of being the fastest Asian to 10,000 international runs (innings wise). Kohli had the record earlier, taking 232 innings to reach the landmark.
Fifth-fastest to 10,000 international runs
Babar is now the fifth-fastest to 10,000 international runs (innings wise). The record is held by former West Indian legend Sir Vivian Richards (206 innings). Viv is followed by Hashim Amla (217 innings), Brian Lara (220 innings), and Joe Root (222 innings). Babar has become the 11th Pakistani cricketer to smash 10,000 runs in international cricket.
Shafique slams his second Test century
Shafique ended with an unbeaten 150-plus score in the second innings. Shafique has slammed his second Test century and a first versus the Lankans. Previously, he had hammered a century versus Australia (136*). He has also surpassed the 700-run mark in Tests. Notably, all of his runs have come in Asia.
Jayasuriya continues to sparkle for the Lankans
Sri Lankan left-arm spinner Prabath Jayasuriya continued his exploits in Test cricket. He took 5/82 in the first innings and followed it up with four scalps in the second. Jayasuriya has raced to 21 wickets in just four Test innings, a tally that includes three five-wicket hauls. He also has one 10-wicket haul in a match (12/177).
Eighth cricketer to achieve a special feat
Jayasuriya became just the eighth cricketer to register three five-wicket hauls in his first two Tests. Tom Richardson (England, 1894), Sydney Barnes (England, 1902), Clarrie Grimmett (Australia, 1926), Rodney Hogg (Australia, 1978), Narendra Hirwani (India, 1988), Mehidy Hasan Miraz (Bangladesh, 2016), and Axar Patel (India, 2021) are the other cricketers to have achieved this feat in the format.
Yasir and Nawaz bring up these numbers
Yasir Shah had a memorable return to the side. He finished with 2/66 and 3/122 in this Test. Yasir now has 240 Test wickets at 31.22. He surpassed the legendary Abdul Qadir (236 wickets) to become the fifth-highest wicket-taker for Pakistan. Mohammad Nawaz claimed six wickets in this Test which included a fifer. He now has 11 scalps at 23.00.
