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Sri Lankan spinner claims 11 wkts in a fairytale debut

Tuesday, 4 May 2021


COLOMBO, May 03 (Reuters): Left-arm spinner Praveen Jayawickrama claimed a match haul of 11 wickets in a fairytale debut as he bowled Sri Lanka to a 209-run victory, and a 1-0 series win, in the second Test against Bangladesh in Pallekele.
The hosts took just over an hour on Monday to claim the last five Bangladesh wickets, with Jayawickrama claiming three of them for a second-innings haul of 5-86 after he took 6-92 in the first innings.
He is the first Sri Lankan to take a 10-wicket haul on his Test debut and his match figures of 11-178 are the tenth best by a debutant in history.
The previous Sri Lankan record was the 8-44 taken by AkilaDananjaya in Dhaka three years ago, also against Bangladesh.
Jayawickrama is also the first debutant since India's NarendraHirwani in 1988 to take a five-wicket haul in both innings.
"There was a bit of pressure ahead of the debut, but the captain and the senior players really helped me," Jayawickrama, 22, said after being adjudged player-of-the-match. Home captain Dimuth Karunaratne heaped praise on Jayawickrama and young off-spinner Ramesh Mendis, who claimed four wickets in the second innings.