Most Test Wickets for Sri Lanka

Most Test Wickets for Sri Lanka

Key Insights – Leading Wicket-taker for Sri Lanka in Test Cricket

All-Time Test Wickets and Hauls

Muttiah Muralitharan holds the record for picking up the most wickets for Sri Lanka in Tests, having dismissed 795 batters in 132 matches.

Overall, Muralitharan claimed 800 wickets, including five for ICC XI, the most by any bowler in the format.

Muralitharan’s 67 five-wicket hauls and 22 ten-wicket hauls are also the most by a bowler in Test cricket. In fact, no other bowler has managed to take 40 five-fors and 15 ten-fors.

Performance by Match Result

438 of Muralitharan’s wickets came in wins, the most by a Sri Lankan bowler and overall the second most by any bowler in Tests behind Shane Warne’s 510.

The former offspinner has bagged the most five-fors and ten-fors in Test wins, with 41 five-wicket hauls and 18 ten-wicket hauls ending up in Sri Lanka’s victories.

Murali’s 210 wickets in losing causes for Sri Lanka are the most by a bowler in all Test cricket.

Home and Away Test Bowling Records

493 of Muralitharan’s scalps, along with 45 five-fors and 15 ten-fors, came in Sri Lanka, the most by a bowler on home soil in Test cricket.

Murali’s 302 wickets in away conditions are the second most by a bowler for a Test team, behind Warne’s 389. And Murali is level with Warne on the five-fors count, with both claiming 22 each away from home, while he tops the ten-fors chart (7).

Records Against SENA and in Asian Conditions

Muralitharan took 612 wickets and 52 five-wicket hauls in the spin-friendly Asian conditions, the most by any bowler in red-ball cricket.

Muralitharan is the only Sri Lankan bowler to take 100-plus wickets against three different opponents – England (112), India (105), and South Africa (104) – in Tests. Overall, he is one of the three bowlers to achieve this in the format.

Muralitharan bagged 352 wickets for Sri Lanka against SENA – South Africa, England, New Zealand, and Australia – teams, the second most by an Asian bowler and the third most by a non-SENA bowler in Tests.

Muralitharan picked up 120 Test scalps for Sri Lanka in SENA countries, the second by an Asian spinner and the third most among visiting spinners.

Venue-Specific Bowling Achievements

Muralitharan picked up 166 of his career wickets at the Sinhalese Sports Club (SSC) Ground in Sri Lanka’s Colombo, the most by a bowler at a single venue in Tests. He is, in fact, the only bowler to grab 100-plus wickets at three different venues, with Asgiriya Stadium in Kandy (117) and Galle International Stadium (111) being the others.

Sri Lanka’s Other Bowling Greats

Rangana Herath’s 433 wickets, 34 five-fors, and nine ten-fors are the most by a left-arm bowler in Test cricket.

Chaminda Vaas’ 355 wickets are the most by a Sri Lankan pacer in the Test format. Suranga Lakmal (171), Lahiru Kumara (104), Lasith Malinga (101 wickets), and Dilhara Fernando (100) are the other pacers with 100-plus Test wickets for Sri Lanka.

Muralitharan has the lowest bowling average among Sri Lankan Test bowlers, leaking 22.67 runs per wicket (minimum 5000 balls bowled). His strike rate is bettered by Malinga, as he snapped up a wicket after every 51.57 deliveries.