Sri Lanka Crumbles to Historic Low of 42 Runs in Opening Test Against South Africa

Sri Lanka suffered a crushing defeat on Day 2 of the first Test against South Africa at Kingsmead, Durban, collapsing to their lowest-ever Test total. The visitors were bowled out for a mere 42 runs in just 13.5 overs, marking a dark chapter in their Test cricket history.

South African pacer Marco Jansen delivered a scintillating performance, claiming career-best Test figures of 7/13. His blistering pace left Sri Lanka’s batters completely outclassed. Jansen dismissed key players, including Pathum Nissanka, Dinesh Chandimal, Angelo Mathews, and Dhananjaya de Silva, as Sri Lanka’s batting lineup crumbled under relentless pressure.

Sri Lanka’s total of 42 broke their previous lowest Test score of 71, recorded against Pakistan in 1994. It also became the lowest total ever scored against South Africa in Test cricket, surpassing New Zealand’s 45 from 2013.

The innings lasted just 83 balls, making it the second-shortest completed innings in Test history. The dubious record for the shortest innings still belongs to South Africa, who were bowled out for 30 runs in 75 balls against England in 1924.

Thanks to Sri Lanka’s collapse, South Africa secured a commanding 149-run lead in the first innings, putting themselves in a dominant position in the match. Jansen’s fiery spell was a continuation of his impressive form, which has been evident since the recent T20I series against India.