Pakistan v Sri Lanka 2017: 2nd Test, Day 3 – Statistical Highlights

The Pakistan-Sri Lanka Test spiced up for yet another exciting finish like in the previous game as Sri Lanka were reduced to 34/5 in the 2nd innings with 220-run first innings lead in hand. Pakistan were bowled out for just 262 in their first innings after resuming the day at 51/0. A total of 15 wickets fell in the 3rd day’s play out of which ten were in the final session.

Here we look at all the stats and records created during the day’s play.

1 – Dilruwan Perera became the first Sri Lankan to score 400+ runs and take 20+ wickets in a calendar year in Test cricket. The off-spin bowling all-rounder has scored 452 runs in 2017 and picked up 21 wickets till the end of the 3rd day’s play. Chaminda Vaas is the only other Sri Lankan to score 300+ runs and 20+ wickets in a calendar year in Tests. Vaas scored 369 runs and bagged 40 wickets in 2004.

3 – Number of instances when Sri Lanka took a first-innings lead of 200 and more after batting first in a Test match outside the home. They had a lead of 232 runs against Zimbabwe at Harare last year and 280 against England way back in 2002 at Lord’s. Sri Lanka enforced the follow-on on the other two occasions but decided against in this match.

23.65 – Shan Masood averages 23.65 as an opener in Test cricket. He has scored 544 runs in 23 innings with one century and three fifties. This is the lowest average for any Test opener since 2012 who have batted a minimum of 20 innings. Gautam Gambhir averages 26.39 in this span.

34 – Runs Sri Lanka scored before losing their 5th wicket in the 2nd innings. These are the 6th fewest the Lankan side has posted before losing their 5th wicket in a Test inning and the 2nd lowest in an away Test after 33 against South Africa in 2001 at Cape Town.

34 – The 34 runs by Sri Lanka are the 2nd fewest for any team in a Test innings before losing their 5th wicket in UAE. Pakistan lost their 5th wicket for 21 runs against England in the 1st innings of 2012 Test at Dubai only.

220 – The 220-run lead Pakistan have conceded is the most they have conceded in the 1st innings of a Test match in the UAE while batting second. The last time Pakistan conceded a 1st innings lead of 220+ while batting 2nd in a Test at home (Pakistan/UAE) was 268 runs in 2004 against India at Multan. It was also the last instance where Pakistan failed to avoid the follow-on total at home.