Cricket News: Highest successful run chases in Tests at Galle | What is the highest run chase in Tests at Galle?

Dinesh Chandimal’s masterful 94* powered Sri Lanka to 337 in the third innings of the ongoing Test between the home side and Pakistan. Accordingly, the Dimuth Karunaratne-led side has set a steep target of 342 for Babar Azam’s men.

The Galle International Stadium has historically been unfriendly to the chasing teams as a total over 300 has never being scaled at the venue. In that context, it appears to be a steep mountain to climb for Pakistan irrespective of their fine opening stand.

Highest run chases at Galle

CricBlog takes a look at the five-most successful fourth-innings chases at the venue.

268/4 by Sri Lanka vs New Zealand, 2019

Karunaratne has scored 122 runs in the fourth innings of Sri Lanka’s encounter vs Pakistan at Galle in 2019 to help his team chase down 268 runs. He was ably supported by Lahiru Thirimanne, who notched 64 runs as the pair put up 161 runs in 60 overs for the first wicket.

Thirimanne’s dismissal triggered a mini-collapse of sorts but the middle-order comprising of Angelo Matthews (28), Kusal Perera (23) and Dhananjaya de Silva (14*) chipped in with some key runs to ensure that the Lankans achieved a rare successful run-chase at Galle.

164/4 by England vs Sri Lanka, 2021

For an English side to round up a successful chase in Asian conditions is an unusual occurrence. England, powered by the duo of Dominic Sibley and Jos Buttler, ensured that the visitors completed a tricky fourth innings chase last year.

The fourth innings was slightly more complicated given that the likes of Zak Crawley, Jonny Bairstow and Dan Lawrence departed cheaply. Sibley and Buttler put up an unbeaten 75-run partnership for the 5^th wicket to bring about the second-most successful fourth-innings chase in the stadium.

99/3 by Sri Lanka vs Pakistan, 2014

It is rather telling that the third-highest successful chase in Galle is of merely 99 runs. Pakistan and Sri Lanka had put up 451 runs and 533 runs in the first couple of innings of the Test respectively. However, the gradual deterioration of the track in Galle over the course of a game is evident from the fact that Pakistan could score only 180 runs in the third innings.

Sri Lanka was set a target of only 99 runs. They employed a proactive approach despite losing three wickets in the chase as the home side cruised towards victory with a scoring rate of 6.07.

95 by Sri Lanka vs India, 2010

To pile up runs aplenty in the first innings seems to be a well-thought-out strategy to emerge victorious in this ground. Centuries by Tharanga Paranavitana and Kumar Sangakkara along with half-centuries by Rangana Herath and Lasith Malinga took Sri Lanka to 520 runs in the first innings.

The Lankans imposed a follow-on as India replied with only 276 runs initially. MS Dhoni’s men bettered their effort with 338 runs in their second innings. However, the target of 95 proved to be too paltry for Sri Lanka as Tillakaratne Dilshan’s quickfire 68* helped them get to the target in only 14.1 overs.

93 by Sri Lanka vs New Zealand, 2010

In what was a largely low-scoring encounter, Sri Lanka steered their way to a 10-wicket victory with ease in the opening game of the series. The Lankans out-batted the Kiwis out of the game courtesy impressive batting outings by Mahela Jayawardene (91) and Angelo Matthews (79) in their first innings. Rangana Herath’s six-wicket haul reduced New Zealand to only 118 in their second dig. Karunaratne (60*) and Paranavitana (31*) made light work of the fourth-inning chase as Sri Lanka made their way to the target in 18.3 overs.