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Sri Lanka’s Milan Rathnayake made a dream debut to his Test career. The all-rounder shattered a 41-year-old Test record by posting the highest score by a batter at the number 9 spot in men’s red-ball cricket. Rathnayake achieved this historic feat on his Test debut.
Milan Rathnayake: A historic beginning to a Test Career
Milan Rathnayake walked in to bat at number nine when England’s sharp bowling attack reduced them to 113/7. England’s pace duo of Chris Woakes (3/32) and Gus Atkinson (2/48) played key roles in decimating Sri Lanka’s top order.
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The Lankan batter showed resilience and composure to pile up 72 off 135 deliveries, helping Sri Lanka to post 236. His innings saw six boundaries and two sixes, coming from his bat before getting dismissed by Shoaib Bashir.
Rathnayake stuck with Sri Lanka skipper Dhananjaya de Silva at the crease to forge a 63-run partnership for the 8th wicket.
28-year-old Rathnayake surpassed India’s Balwinder Sandhu‘s record of 71, a splendid knock that came against Pakistan in Hyderabad in 1983.
| Milan Rathnayake (Sri Lanka) | 72 | England (2024) |
| Balwinder Sandhu (India) | 71 | Pakistan (1983) |
| Darren Gough (England) | 65 | New Zealand (1994) |
| Monde Zondeki (South Africa) | 59 | England (2003) |
| Wilf Ferguson (West Indies) | 56* | England (1948) |
Milan Rathnayake has featured in 45 List A matches amassing 111 runs in 44 innings at an average of 5.25 and with a strike rate of 42.85. He has the highest individual score of an unbeaten 24 runs.
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In his First Class career, Rathnayake appeared in 40 matches. He scored 660 runs in 52 innings, averaging at 16.09 with a strike rate of 48.17. His highest individual score in his First Class career remains 59.
In February 2023, Rathnayake was named in Sri Lanka’s Test squad for their series against New Zealand. In April 2023, he was again selected inTest squad for the series against Ireland.
