COLOMBO // Kumar Sangakkara hopes Sri Lanka will celebrate his 100th Test appearance with a series-levelling victory over Australia in the final match in Colombo from tomorrow.
"It's a great honour to have represented my country for a period of time, and also a great honour to play 100 Test matches," Sangakkara told reporters ahead of his landmark match at the Sinhalese Sports Club (SSC).
"It's not often that a player gets that opportunity and I'm very, very proud, and also very privileged to be given the opportunity to represent my country and my people for so long.
"But the most important thing is to contribute as much as I can to the side winning games.
"It's nice to participate, but you want to say to your teammates and others that we are winners.That is what everyone wants, go out there and win matches. It's what the whole team is chasing at the moment, to try to win and be the best."
Sangakkara, who turns 34 next month, will be the fifth Sri Lankan to play a century of Tests after Muttiah Muralitharan (132 matches), Mahela Jayawardene (121), Chaminda Vaas (111) and Sanath Jayasuriya (110).
The elegant left-hander has provided substance and stature to Sri Lanka's batting along with his good friend Jayawardene since his debut against South Africa in Galle in 2000.
His 8,572 runs in 99 Tests at an average of 55.66 with 25 hundreds are second in his country's all-time list, behind Jayawardene's 9,801 runs from 121 matches.
Sangakkara said his goal was to compile 10,000 Test runs and score 30 centuries before he hung up his bat, but retirement is still far from his mind.
He could not have asked for a better venue than his favourite hunting ground at the SSC to mark his 100th Test, and lead the team's bid to draw the three-match series 1-1.
In the 18 Tests he had played at the SSC, Sangakkara has scored 1,864 runs at an awe-inspiring average of 74.56 with seven three-figure knocks, including three double centuries.
It was at the same venue that Sangakkara and Jayawardene recorded the highest partnership ever in Test cricket: 624 for the third wicket in 2006 against a South African attack that included Dale Steyn and Makhaya Ntini.
Sangakkara made 287, while Jayawardene smashed 374 before being bowled by Andre Nel agonisingly close to West Indian Brian Lara's world record of 400 not out.
Sangakkara has scored centuries in each of his last three Tests at the SSC, including 219 against India last year.
But Sri Lanka have not won a Test since the retirement of world bowling record holder Muralitharan last year, losing three of the 10 played since then.
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Lowest Test scores
26 - New Zealand v England at Auckland, March 1955
30 - South Africa v England at Port Elizabeth, Feb 1896
30 - South Africa v England at Birmingham, June 1924
35 - South Africa v England at Cape Town, April 1899
36 - South Africa v Australia at Melbourne, Feb. 1932
36 - Australia v England at Birmingham, May 1902
36 - India v Australia at Adelaide, Dec. 2020
38 - Ireland v England at Lord's, July 2019
42 - New Zealand v Australia in Wellington, March 1946
42 - Australia v England in Sydney, Feb. 1888
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ADCC AFC Women’s Champions League Group A fixtures
October 3: v Wuhan Jiangda Women’s FC
October 6: v Hyundai Steel Red Angels Women’s FC
October 9: v Sabah FA
if you go
The flights
Emirates offer flights to Buenos Aires from Dubai, via Rio De Janeiro from around Dh6,300. emirates.com
Seeing the games
Tangol sell experiences across South America and generally have good access to tickets for most of the big teams in Buenos Aires: Boca Juniors, River Plate, and Independiente. Prices from Dh550 and include pick up and drop off from your hotel in the city. tangol.com
Staying there
Tangol will pick up tourists from any hotel in Buenos Aires, but after the intensity of the game, the Faena makes for tranquil, upmarket accommodation. Doubles from Dh1,110. faena.com
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