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 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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