Stats Analysis

Stats - A spin-fest in Colombo

Key numbers from the third ODI between Sri Lanka and South Africa

Maheesh Theekshana struck with his first ball in international cricket  •  Gallo Images/Getty Images

Maheesh Theekshana struck with his first ball in international cricket  •  Gallo Images/Getty Images

16 - Wickets for the spinners in the third ODI - eight each for South Africa and Sri Lanka. Only once spinners have claimed more wickets in an ODI - 19 during the 2011 Bangladesh vs Pakistan match in Chattogram.
4 - Maheesh Theekshana became the fourth Sri Lankan bowler to take a wicket with his first ball in ODI cricket. Charitha Buddhika (vs Zimbabwe in 2001), Kaushal Lokuarachchi (vs Kenya in 2003) and Thilan Thushara (vs West Indies in 2008) are the other three.
5 - Theekshana's bowling figures of 4 for 37 are the fifth-best on ODI debut for Sri Lanka and the best by any spinner for them. Wanindu Hasaranga's 3 for 15 against Zimbabwe in 2017 were the previous best by a Sri Lanka spinner.
21 years and 37 days - Theekshana's age on Tuesday makes him the youngest spinner with four or more wickets in an ODI for Sri Lanka. Muthiah Muralidaran was 22 years and 354 days old when he claimed his maiden four-wicket haul in ODIs, in 1995. Theekshana is also the second youngest of the ten spinners with a four-wicket haul on ODI debut.
125 - South Africa's total is now their second-lowest in an ODI against Sri Lanka, behind 121 in 2018, which also came at the R Premadasa Stadium. It is also the third-lowest ODI total for South Africa in the last ten years, all those coming since the start of 2018.
203 for 9 - Sri Lanka's total in this game, the lowest they have successfully defended in ODI cricket since their 152 against Zimbabwe in 2008. It is also the lowest that South Africa have failed to chase since the 2011 World Cup when they faltered in a chase of 172 against England. (Not considering shortened games)
40 - Overs bowled by South Africa's spinners in this game, the most by them in an ODI. The 33 overs against India in 1996 were the previous most for South Africa spinners in an ODI. The eight wickets taken by their spinners in this game are also the second-most for them, behind nine against West Indies in 2016, where Imran Tahir bagged a seven-wicket haul.

Sampath Bandarupalli is a statistician at ESPNcricinfo