Malinda Pushpakumara takes ten wickets in an innings

Sri Lanka spinner Malinda Pushpakumara notched the joint-13th best ever figures in a first-class match, taking 10/37 for Colombo Cricket Club and cementing his place in the history books.

The 31-year old left-arm spinner, who made his international debut in Tests and ODIs in 2017 before losing his berth in the line-up, skittled Saracens Sports Club single-handedly, helping bowl them out for 113 in their pursuit of 349.

He became the first player since 2009 to notch a first-class ten-for – Pakistan’s Zulfiqar Babar the last man to dismiss an entire team unassisted, taking 10/146 for Multan against Islamabad.

Pushpakumara has four Test caps for Sri Lanka
Pushpakumara has four Test caps for Sri Lanka

Pushpakumara opened the bowling in the second innings, having notched an impressive six-wicket haul in the first; his match figures eventually read 16/110. He bowled without change at his end for 18.4 overs, and also passed the 700-wicket mark in first-class cricket during the game.

His impressive average of 19.19 and first class pedigree had prompted his international call-up last year, and performances such as this will only aid his bid to regain his spot in the Sri Lanka side.

His 10/37 are the best figures recorded since 1995, where Naeem Akhtar took 10/28 for Rawalpindi Blues against Peshawar in Pakistan, and the best-ever recorded by a Sri Lankan.

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