Sri Lanka Stunned as They Suffer Historic Test Defeat to South Africa, Bowled Out for 42
DURBAN: Sri Lankan cricket fans were left in disbelief after their men’s team was bowled out for a historic low total of just 42 runs in the first Test against South Africa at Kingsmead, Durban, on Thursday. This catastrophic collapse marked Sri Lanka’s lowest-ever team total in Test cricket history and one of the darkest days for the team in international cricket.
The Proteas, who were bowled out for 191 in their first innings, faced strong opposition from the Sri Lankan bowlers, who capitalized on the conditions. However, it was Marco Jansen’s stunning performance that turned the tide in South Africa’s favor. Jansen, the South African pacer, recorded a career-best 7 wickets for just 13 runs, taking out Sri Lanka’s top order in a devastating display of fast bowling on Day 2 of the Test.
Sri Lanka’s previous lowest Test total was 71, which came against Pakistan in Kandy in 1994. Thursday’s embarrassing 42-run collapse also saw them concede the second-lowest total in the history of the ICC World Test Championship, narrowly avoiding India’s infamous 36-run total against Australia in Adelaide in 2020.
Lowest Totals in Test Innings in WTC History:
- 36 by India vs Australia, Adelaide 2020
- 42 by Sri Lanka vs South Africa, Durban 2024
- 46 by India vs New Zealand, Bengaluru 2024
- 53 by Bangladesh vs South Africa, Durban 2022
- 55 by South Africa vs India, Cape Town 2024
In addition to this historic low, Sri Lanka’s total of 42 also marked their lowest-ever score in international cricket, surpassing their previous record of 43, which they scored against South Africa in an ODI in Paarl in 2012.
Lowest Totals by Sri Lanka in International Cricket:
- 42 vs South Africa, Test, Durban, 2024
- 43 vs South Africa, ODI, Paarl, 2012
- 50 vs India, ODI, Colombo, 2023
- 55 vs West Indies, ODI, Sharjah, 1986
- 56 vs India, ODI, Mumbai, 2023
Best Bowling Figures Against Sri Lanka in WTC:
- 7/13 – Marco Jansen, Durban, 2024
- 7/70 – Noman Ali, Colombo, 2023
- 6/40 – James Anderson, Galle, 2021
- 6/56 – Anrich Nortje, Johannesburg, 2021
- 6/90 – Ajaz Patel, Galle, 2024
The catastrophic collapse has raised serious questions about the Sri Lankan team’s resilience and ability to compete in challenging conditions. With the Proteas having taken a commanding lead, Sri Lanka faces an uphill task to recover in this Test series.
