BAN vs SL | Asitha Fernando joins Irfan Pathan, Zaheer Khan for a rare Test record

Sri Lanka pipped hosts Bangladesh on Day 5 of the series-deciding second Test match at Mirpur on Friday, May 27. With their 10-wicket win, the visitors pocketed the two-match series 1-0.

Touring speedster Asitha Fernando claimed career-best figures of 6-51 in the second Bangladeshi innings. The right-arm pacer’s spell helped his side skittle the home team for just 169, thus setting themselves a meagre target of 29.

While the target hardly posed any challenge and was overhauled by the Lankan openers without breaking a sweat, Fernando’s bowling figures became the critical difference between the two sides on Day 4 and 5. Remarkably, the speedster also claimed 4-93 earlier in the first innings, thus finishing the game with a 10-wicket haul and a ‘Player of the Match’ award.

Asitha Fernando joins Irfan Pathan, Zaheer Khan post big win

Asitha Fernando’s 10-wicket haul now places him among retired Indian speed demons Zaheer Khan and Irfan Pathan. The three cricketers now share a rare Test record, which consists of bagging ten wickets in a single Test match in Bangladesh for a fast bowler.

While Pathan picked up 11 wickets for just 96 runs in a 2004 Test match at Dhaka, his senior teammate Zaheer Khan snared 10-149 at Mirpur six years later.

Sri Lanka’s big win elevates them to number 4

On a side note, a win by the Dimuth Karunaratne-led side now places them at number 4 in the ongoing ICC World Test Championship points table. The table is headed by Australia, followed by South Africa and India at second and third.

Meanwhile, Bangladesh languishes at number 8, just ahead of England at the bottom.