Top 5 biggest wins for Sri Lanka by innings in test cricket

Sri Lanka have the fifth-best win percentage in test cricket among the 12 test playing nations.

The Sri Lankan cricket team made their test debut in 1982. Among the 12 test playing nations, eight teams have played more than 300 tests and they are one of them. Their win percentage is the fifth-best in the world.

Lanka have produced several match-winners who have helped them clinch games with an innings to spare. Players like Aravinda de Silva, Arjuna Ranatunga, Mahela Jayawardene, Kumar Sangakkara, Sanath Jayasuriya, Muttiah Muralitharan, Rangana Herath, and Chaminda Vaas have guided their side to victories by a margin of an innings.

On that note, we will look at Sri Lanka’s top five largest wins (by an innings) in test cricket in this article.

Top five biggest wins for Sri Lanka by innings in test cricket:

5. Innings and 239 runs – vs India, Colombo (SSC), 2008

In the first test of the three-match home series against India in 2008, Sri Lanka thumped the visitors by an innings and 239 runs, courtesy of Muttiah Muralitharan taking a five-wicket haul in both of the innings.

Batting first, Sri Lanka piled up 600 runs as four batters recorded centuries. Then it was Muralitharan magic with the ball as he took 11 wickets in the match as India were bowled out for 238 and 138 (following on). Only one Indian batsman scored a fifty across the two innings.

4. Innings and 240 runs – vs Zimbabwe, Harare, 2004

In the first test of Sri Lanka’s 2004 tour of Zimbabwe, the visitors thumped the hosts by a huge margin of an innings and 240 runs in Harare. Legendary spinner Muttiah Muralitharan was at the forefront of their victory as he took eight wickets in the match.

His six-for in the first innings bundled the hosts for 199. In reply, Sri Lanka scored 541 through centuries from openers Marvan Atapattu and Sanath Jayasuriya. Zimbabwe were then bowled out for a low total of 102 runs in their second innings.

3. Innings and 248 runs – vs Bangladesh, Mirpur, 2014

One of Sri Lanka’s biggest wins in test cricket came in the Mirpur test in 2014 against Bangladesh. Batting first, the hosts were knocked out for 232 runs before the visitors amassed 730 runs as Jayawardene scored 203 and two other batters, Kaushal Silva and Kithuruwan Vithanage, registered centuries.

In their second innings, Bangladesh were rolled over for 250 as Dilruwan Perera took a five-for and lost the game by an innings and 248 runs.

2. Innings and 254 runs – vs Zimbabwe, Bulawayo, 2004

Kumar Sangakkara and Marvan Atapattu starred in one of Sri Lanka’s biggest wins in test cricket, which they recorded against Zimbabwe in Bulawayo on their 2004 tour. Sangakkara and Atapattu scored 270 and 249, respectively, while Jayawardene scored a century as their side finished with 713 runs.

Zimbabwe managed to post 228 and 231 on either side of Sri Lanka’s mammoth effort and lost by an innings and 254 runs.

1. Innings and 280 runs – vs Ireland, Galle, 2023

Galle is a spin-friendly venue where Sri Lanka have thrived in the past decade and half. Their spin-bowling strength downed Ireland in the first test of the 2023 series by an innings and 280 runs.

Left-arm spinner Prabath Jayasuriya took 10 wickets in the match and off-spinner Ramesh Mendis took five wickets. Sri Lanka posted 591 runs batting first as four batters recorded centuries. In reply, Ireland were bowled out for 143 and 168 (following on).

(All stats updated till 28th September, 2024)

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