For any touring party winning a Test match in South Africa is one of the most difficult tasks in international cricket. It becomes even tougher for Asian teams to register a victory in South Africa as they are not often used to counter the pace and bounce that is available in South Africa. However, whenever an Asian side wins a Test match in South Africa, it is a huge achievement.
Sri Lanka achieved this feat in 2019 when they trounced the Proteas in a Test match in Durban. What made this victory even more special was the partnership between Kusal Perera and Vishwa Fernando for the 10th wicket which ultimately ensured a memorable victory for the visitors.
First Innings
The visitors elected to bowl first after winning the toss and this decision paid off for them. The Sri Lankan bowlers created initial pressure on the Proteas with a few quick breakthroughs. South Africa could not recover from these early setbacks and got bowled out for 235 runs. De Kock’s 80 runs made this total possible for the home side.
South Africa made a roaring comeback when their turn to bowl came. The Proteas restricted Sri Lanka to 191 runs courtesy of a phenomenal bowling spell from Dale Steyn. This poor Sri Lankan batting effort gave the home side a lead that they might not have expected at the end of their batting stint.
Second Innings
South Africa capitalized on the lead that they earned at the end of the first innings to set a challenging target of 304 runs for the visitors. The chase was not going to be easy for Sri Lanka and it was very evident from the start they got. Half of the side was already back in the pavilion with only 110 runs on the board.
However, Kusal Perera stood strong in times of adversity and did not throw his wicket but on the other end the wickets kept falling at regular intervals. The Lankan lions were down to 9/226 at one point and the run chase appeared to be impossible. But Vishwa Fernando was resilient enough to protect his wicket which gave Kusal Perera the freedom to progress the innings. The two built a 78-run partnership which made the run chase a reality for Sri Lanka. Kusal Perera scored an unbeaten 153 runs and Fernando stayed on the crease till the end with 6 runs to his name. It was a herculean effort from the two which gave the Sri Lankan fans a historic moment to cherish.
Also read: Chaminda Vaas became the first bowler to take a hat-trick with the first three balls in 2003