Kusal Perera shatters record in Sri Lanka’s epic one-wicket win in Durban vs South Africa

Kusal Perera has been hailed as the new ‘Superman’ of world cricket after his sensational 153* helped Sri Lanka achieve a sensational one-wicket win in the Durban Test against South Africa on Saturday. Kusal Perera shared a magnificent 78-run stand for the last wicket with Vishwa Fernando as Sri Lanka eliminated the pain of New Zealand and Australia in grand style by winning a Test in South Africa after over seven years. The efforts of Kusal Perera and Vishwa Fernando resulted in plenty of records been broken in Durban and the one-wicket win was the perfect advertisement for Test cricket. Here is a list of some of the records broken by Kusal Perera and the Sri Lankan team in this epic chase in Durban.

2 – This was Sri Lanka’s second win in Tests in South Africa and both the victories have come in Kingsmead, Durban. Their first win on South African soil was in 2011 and it was also at this venue.

2 – This was the second time that Sri Lanka has secured a one-wicket win in Tests and both have come against South Africa. In 2006, Sri Lanka defeated South Africa by one wicket in their chase of 352 at the P Sara Oval in Colombo.

2 - This was Sri Lanka's second win in South Africa. They have two wins in New Zealand and West Indies. In the SENA countries, they have three wins in England while they have no wins in Australia. In a neutral venue, they have three wins in the UAE against Pakistan.

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4 – This was the fourth highest successful chase in the fourth innings of a Test in South Africa. Australia has achieved the previous three highest chases against the Proteas. Australia chased down 336 in Durban in 1950 while they chased down 334 in Cape Town in 2002. In 2011, Australia chased down 310 in Johannesburg. This is the highest chase by any Asian side in South Africa.

4 – Kusal Perera’s 153 is the fourth-highest individual score in the fourth innings in South Africa. Bill Edrich of England has the highest score of 219 in Durban in 1939. Stan McCabe of Australia hit 189* in Johannesburg in 1935 while England skipper Michael Atherton hit 185 in 1995 at the Wanderers.

7 – This was South Africa’s seventh loss in Durban in the last 10 years. Australia, Sri Lanka and England have won twice while India won one game in 2010. South Africa won against India in 2013 while their game against New Zealand in 2016 was drawn due to rain.

78 – The partnership between Vishwa Fernando and Kusal Perera, which is the best last-wicket stand in a successful chase in the fourth innings in the history of cricket. 

HIGHLIGHTS

• This was the second one-wicket win for Sri Lanka in Tests.
• Both one-wicket wins for Sri Lanka have come against South Africa.
• This is Sri Lanka's second win in South Africa and both have come in Durban.