International cricket is all in readiness of returning to the Sinhalese Sports Club after 41 months for the second of a two-match Test series between Sri Lanka and Pakistan. Speaking particularly of Test cricket, this iconic ground will be hosting a match after 56 months tomorrow onwards.
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Sri Lanka, by virtue of being the home team, have participated in each one out of the 43 Tests played here since 1984. A praiseworthy record sees them winning 20 and losing nine matches in all these years. Set to play at this stadium for the first time in nine years, Pakistan have won and lost a Test each out of six attempts.
Sinhalese Sports Club Colombo Records
While the Top 10 highest run-scorers in Tests played at this venue are Sri Lankan cricketers, only one of them in former captain Angelo Mathews is part of the current squad. Mahela Jayawardene (2,921), Kumar Sangakkara (2,312), Sanath Jayasuriya (1,542), Aravinda de Silva (1,257) and Thilan Samaraweera (1,239) are at the top of the ladder.
Speaking of active cricketers, Mathews (746), Dimuth Karunaratne (450), Dhananjaya de Silva (344), Kusal Mendis (305) and Cheteshwar Pujara (278) have been the top performers among batters.
As far as the bowlers are concerned, there is again a domination of Sri Lankan cricketers such as Muttiah Muralitharan (166), Rangana Herath (84), Chaminda Vaas (80), Dilruwan Perera (29) and Jayasuriya (26). Apart from Perera, Keshav Maharaj (12), Ravichandran Ashwin (11) and Ishant Sharma (11) have dismissed more than 10 batters here.
A primary reason why there has been no mention of active Pakistani players among top performers with respect to the SSC is the fact that they haven’t played here in the recent years. Having scored a century and a half-century each, readers must note that former captain Sarfaraz Ahmed (158) had a brilliant outing at this ground in 2014.
Highest Test Innings Totals At The SSC
| Score | Overs | Team | Opposition | Year |
| 756/5d | 185.1 | Sri Lanka | South Africa | 2006 |
| 707 | 225.2 | India | Sri Lanka | 2010 |
| 642/4d | 159.4 | Sri Lanka | India | 2010 |
| 628/8d | 182 | Sri Lanka | England | 2003 |
| 627/9d | 197 | Sri Lanka | West Indies | 2001 |
The 600-run mark has been surpassed six times out of 158 Test innings at the Sinhalese Sports Club. Speaking of the highest successful run-chase, it is worth of a mention that only eight (out of 29 result-oriented matches) times have teams been able to successfully chase down a target at this stadium.
Sri Lanka, who have achieved the feat six out of eight instances, hold the record for achieving the highest target. It all had happened when they had sealed a 326-run chase against Zimbabwe 25 years ago.
