Jayawickrama’s 11 debut wickets seal Sri Lanka win over Bangladesh

The Sri Lanka team with the trophy after winning the series 1-0 

Sri Lanka spinner Praveen Jayawickrama enjoyed a dream debut as he claimed 11 wickets to seal a 209-run victory over Bangladesh in the second Test at Pallekele on Monday.   

Chasing a daunting 437 to win, Bangladesh were dismissed for 227 in the first session of the final day after resuming at 177-5 as Sri Lanka wrapped up the match, and the series 1-0, after 90 minutes of play.   

The 22-year-old left-armer Jayawickrama was named player of the match after claiming 11-178 on his first Test appearance as he added five second-innings wickets to his six in the first.   

Off-spinner Ramesh Mendis dismissed four batsmen as all 10 Bangladesh second-innings wickets were taken by slow bowlers.   

Jayawickrama struck in the third over on Monday, taking his ninth wicket of the match when he trapped Liton Das lbw with a ball that went straight on and setting a Sri Lankan record for a Test debutant, surpassing Akila Dananjaya’s 8-44 against the same opposition in Dhaka in 2018.   

Mendis was replaced after a 15-over spell during which he took two wickets and the bowling change worked immediately as part-time spinner Dhananjaya de Silva struck with his second delivery.   

Taijul Islam, on two, attempted a late cut, but only managed to edge it to wicketkeeper Niroshan Dickwella.   
Mendis returned to have Taskin Ahmed caught by Dimuth Karunaratne off a top edge as the fielder moved to his left from cover point.   

Jayawickrama then mopped up the tail. Mehidy Hasan fell first to take the young bowler’s match haul into double figures, before Jayawickrama sealed the Test and the series three balls later when he trapped Abu Jayed leg before.   

Jayawickrama is the 16th Test cricketer to take 10 wickets or more on debut but only the second this century after Australia’s Jason Krejza, who took 12 wickets against India at Nagpur in 2008.   

Sri Lanka captain Dimuth Karunaratne was named player of the two-match series for scoring 428 runs in three innings.   

The first Test was drawn after an avalanche of runs, the two sides scoring 1,289 for the loss of just 17 wickets over the five days.   

• Jayawickrama then mopped up the tail. Mehidy Hasan fell first to take the young bowler’s match haul into double figures

“Praveen was considering leaving for the UK”

 By Bipin Dani

The first thing Praveen Jayawickrama did after claiming the Man of the Match award on his Test debut was to make two calls. 

The first was to his mother Nimali Pieris and the second was to his mentor Chamila Gamage, without whom Jayawickrama may not have even been in Sri Lanka to represent his country. 

“His second call was to his mentor Chamila Gamage. Praveen did not forget to thank the former fast bowler Gamage, who has been his motivator all these years,” Jayawickrama’s mother, who runs a driving school in her town, said.  

Gamage had been the Kalutara district coach for eight years, under whom Jayawickrama and another current Test cricketer Pathum Nissanka played.  

“It was Gamage who persuaded him to stay in Sri Lanka. In fact, my son was not getting an opportunity to play either in Development or Emerging squads and was considering leaving for the UK to play minor counties there. However, Chamila knew his talent well and inspired him to keep patience and wait for the right time to come and play for the country”, Jayawickrama’s mother said.