The Sri Lanka vs Pakistan rivalry is one of the biggest clashes in world cricket.
Sri Lanka and Pakistan first played Tests in 1982. Under the leadership of Bandula Warnapura, the Sri Lanka national cricket team first toured Pakistan for a three-match Test series in 1981-82. Led by captain Javed Miandad, Pakistan beat the visitors to clinch the three-match Test series 2-0.
Four years later, the Imran Khan-led Pakistan national cricket team travelled to Sri Lanka for their first overseas Test series. The three-match series ended 1-1.
Since then, Sri Lanka and Pakistan have clashed in 57 Test matches so far. While Pakistan have emerged victorious on 21 occasions, Sri Lanka have secured 17 wins. As many as 19 matches have ended in draws.
Both the sides have registered numerous records during their Test battles and here we take a closer look at some of those Sri Lanka vs Pakistan Test records and stats.
Sri Lanka vs Pakistan Test records and stats
Highest team total
Pakistan have recorded the highest team total in Sri Lanka vs Pakistan Tests. During the first Test of the Sri Lanka tour of Pakistan in 2009, the hosts posted 765/6d in reply to Sri Lanka’s 644/7d in the first innings in Karachi. Pakistan rode on captain Younis Khan’s 313 and wicketkeeper-batter Kamran Akmal’s unbeaten 158 to register the mammoth score of 765/6d. The match ended in a draw.
Lowest team total
Sri Lanka hold the unwanted record for the lowest team total in this high-profile Test fixture. An Arjuna Ranatunga-led Sri Lanka were bowled out for 71 by Pakistan in the first innings of the third Test in Kandy in 1994. Wicketkeeper-batter Pubudu Dassanayake was the only batter to register a double digit score (19) in the Sri Lankan innings. For Pakistan, pacer Waqar Younis bagged a six-wicket haul, while fast bowler Wasim Akram picked up four wickets. Pakistan won the Test by an innings and 52 runs.
Most runs
Legendary batter Kumar Sangakkara scored the most runs in Sri Lanka vs Pakistan Tests. The former left-handed batter amassed 2,911 runs in 23 matches at an average of 74.64. He slammed 10 hundreds and 12 fifties against Pakistan in Test cricket. For Pakistan, Younis Khan has accumulated the most runs in this Test fixture. The right-handed batter scored 2,286 runs in 29 Tests at an average of 51.95.
Most wickets
Former cricketer Rangana Herath has picked up the most wickets in the Sri Lanka vs Pakistan Test fixture. The left-arm spinner scalped 106 wickets in 21 Tests against Pakistan at an average of 28.07. Another spinner, Saeed Ajmal, has the most Test wickets for Pakistan against Sri Lanka. The right-arm off-spinner claimed 66 wickets in 14 Tests versus Sri Lanka at an average of 32.86.
Highest individual score
Former Pakistan batter Younis Khan owns the record for the highest individual score in this Test fixture. Batting at his usual number three position, Younis scored 313 in Pakistan's first innings of the Karachi Test in 2009. His triple hundred included 27 fours and four sixes. Younis’ scintillating knock helped hosts Pakistan draw the Test after Sri Lanka posted 644/7d in their first innings.
Best bowling figures
Rangana Herath holds the record for the best bowling figures in an innings in Sri Lanka vs Pakistan Tests. During the second Test of the Pakistan tour of Sri Lanka in 2014, Herath finished with figures of 33.1-3-127-9 to bowl out the visitors for 332 in their first innings. The left-arm spinner also recorded another five-wicket haul in the second innings to help Sri Lanka win the Test by 105 runs. Former Pakistan pacer Imran Khan has the best bowling figures in a match in this Test fixture. The former speedster scalped 14 wickets against Sri Lanka in the Lahore Test in 1982. His impressive performance helped Pakistan thrash Sri Lanka by an innings and 102 runs to seal a 2-0 series win.
Highest partnership
Mahela Jayawardene and Thilan Samaraweera hold the record for the highest partnership in Sri Lanka vs Pakistan Tests. Jayawardene and Samaraweera forged a massive 437-run stand for the fourth wicket during the first Test of Sri Lanka’s tour of Pakistan in 2009. It is currently the eighth highest partnership in Test cricket. The match later ended in a dull draw.
Photo credit: Alamy
