Data check: Sri Lanka’s historic win snaps South Africa’s unbeaten streak in home Test series

Sri Lanka, on Saturday, scripted history, becoming the first-ever team from Asia to win a Test series in South Africa.

Oshada Fernando and Kusal Mendis propelled Sri Lanka to an eight-wicket win on the third day of the second Test in Port Elizabeth. The first Test in Durban, Sri Lanka won by one wicket.

Appointed only as an “interim” captain, Dimuth Karunaratne said he had a simple message for his players when he took over at a time of apparent turmoil in Sri Lankan cricket.

Before the South Africa series, these were Sri Lanka’s last three results: a 366-run defeat, an innings and 40-run defeat and a 423-run defeat. Also, they are ranked sixth in the ICC Test ranking and South Africa, second.

“When I started, I said to my boys, ‘whatever happens you have to keep smiling, keep enjoying. If you’re not enjoying you don’t get to a hundred percent’,” Karunaratne said.

Remarkably, the Lankans consistently played positive cricket despite having been away from home for the better part of three months.

The series win, hence, was celebrated by the cricket fraternity across the world.

Karunaratne praised the contribution of his bowlers, notably the inexperienced Vishwa Fernando and Kasun Rajitha, who took 12 and nine wickets respectively over the two matches.

South African skipper Faf du Plessis called the series defeat one of the team’s “most disappointing” losses. “I thought up until this Test series we were looking good and playing well at home, but the last two Test matches, I wish I can give you an answer but we prepared the way we do and we didn’t take them for granted,” he said.

“Maybe, mentally the boys were off the boil at the end of a long season, but that’s not an excuse once again. It’s probably up there with the most disappointing series loss, certainly from my own personal point of view and also from a team perspective.”

Here are the statistical highlights from the two-match series:-

• Sri Lanka made it four wins in a row against South Africa after winning two matches at home last year.
• South Africa had won 19 of 21 previous home series against Asian opponents, with the only exceptions being when India and Pakistan shared one series each.

• South Africa were on a seven-series unbeaten streak in home Tests before they played Sri Lanka. The last time Sri Lanka toured South Africa, they were beaten 3-0. In the last five years, Sri Lanka have beaten South Africa four times in Tests. The only side that has defeated them more often is England.

• Sri Lanka also recorded their sixth highest successful chase (197) in Test cricket. In the first Test, they had completed their fourth-highest chase (304).
• The 163-run fourth-wicket stand between Kusal Mendis and Oshada Fernando is Sri Lanka’s second-best in a successful run-chase. Aravinda de Silva and Arjuna Ranatunga put on 189 runs for the sixth wicket against Zimbabwe in Colombo in 1998.
• The last six months have witnessed a touring teams spring a surprise on the host nation. Zimbabwe drew a two-match series 1-1 last November. England whitewashed Sri Lanka 3-0 during the same time. New Zealand, in December, beat Pakistan 2-1 in UAE.

With AFP inputs