On this day in 2019: Kusal Perera’s epic match-winning innings against South Africa
When Kusal Perera burst out on the scene, he was touted to be the next Sanath Jayasuriya. He had shown promising signs as well, with Jayasuriya-like top-order batting in some matches. But, just like other promising talents of Sri Lanka, Perera seemed to have lost his way at the international level. But, that only until this day two years ago.
Sri Lanka had an uphill task of chasing a target of 304 runs in the fourth innings. The beautiful Kingsmead in Durban was the venue. The South African bowling attack had Kagiso Rabada, Dale Steyn, Vernon Philander and Duanne Olivier. No way this was going to be an easy task for the Sri Lankan batters.
As expected, the South African bowling line-up ran through the Sri Lankan batting. There was some hope for the visitors as Dhananjaya de Silva and Perera started building a partnership. But, when de Silva was sent back, the score was 206 for 6. Pretty soon, it turned 226-9.
With 78 runs, one wicket and Steyn and Rabada charging in, no one would have given a chance to the visitors. But, Perera held one end while Vishwa Fernando decided not to give his wicket from the other end. Perera launched an assault which had not been witnessed in such a match situation. As the runs needed to win started decreasing slowly, the pressure was getting to the Proteas bowlers.
#OnThisDay 2019, Kusal Perera’s 153* miracle of Durban, one of the greatest of all time and won the ESPNcricinfo award for the best Test batting performance of 2019.#LKA #SriLanka @afidelf @ESPNcricinfo @RusselArnold69 @ICC https://t.co/u8i44ahier pic.twitter.com/e5uKl0IKht
— Sri Lanka Tweet ?? (@SriLankaTweet) February 16, 2020
The left-handed batsman smashed Steyn for a few boundaries. When Rabada ran in with pace, he had answers for them as well. He was not just defending them and trying to spend time on the crease, he was trying to attack as much as possible. Sri Lankan cricket at this moment has been going through a dip for the past few years. Getting this close to winning was much bigger than anything for a side, which hadn’t really won an overseas Test in some time.
The last-wicket partnership yielded 78 runs, only six of which had come from the bat of Fernando. Rest were either extras or Perera’s magic. The stylish batsman ended with an unbeaten 153 off just 200 balls, an innings which had 12 fours and five sixes in them.
This knock is arguably one of the best in Test cricket’s vast history. A few months later, Ben Stokes played a similar kind of an innings for England in an Ashes Test and yet, it was this knock from Perera that remained more astonishing. On the second anniversary of the fantastic knock by Perera, let’s hope he can produce a few more stellar knocks for his country in the years to come.
