Sangakara's best innings in World Cup

HAMBANTOTA, SL: Sri Lanka beat Canada by 210 runs in a World Cup Group A match here Sunday.

Stastical Highlights:

* Sri Lankan skipper Kumar Sangakkara (92 off 87 balls) recorded his best innings in the World Cup, bettering the 76 off 83 balls against Bermuda at Port of Spain on March 15, 2007.

* Sangakkara registered the highest individual innings in a World Cup game in Sri Lanka, surpassing the 75 not out by Arjuna Ranatunga for against Kenya at Kandy on March 6, 1996.

* Sangakkara and Jayawardene put on 179 for the third wicket. Sri Lanka's two highest parterships are 183 between Aravinda de Silva and Asanka Gurusinha against Kenya at Kandy on March 6, 1996 and 183 between Sanath Jayasuriya and Mahela Jayawardene against the West Indies at Providence on April 1, 2007.

* Jayawardene (100 off 81 balls) posted his second century in the World Cup. In the 2007 World Cup, he had registered 115 not out off 109 balls against New Zealand at Kingston on April 24.

* Jayawardene took 80 balls to reach his century - the quickest by a Sri Lankan in the World Cup, bettering Sanath Jayasuriya's 85-ball hundred (109 off 87 balls) against Bangladesh at Port of Spain on March 21, 2007

* Jayawardene's century is the fourth quickest in the history of the World Cup, next only to the 66-ball hundred by Matthew Hayden for Australia against South Africa at Basseterre on March 24, 2007, John Davison (67 balls for Canada against West Indies at Centurion on February 23, 2003 and Adam Gilchrist (72 for Australia against Sri Lanka at Bridgetown on April 28, 2007). Kapil's 72-ball century against Zimbabwe at Tunbridge Wells in 1983 is incorrectly mentioned in most websites and publications.

* Jayawardene is the second batsman to register a World Cup hundred in Sri Lanka. Aravinda de Silva was the first to accomplish the feat, posting 145 off 115 balls against Kenya at Kandy on March 6, 1996.

* The 179-run partnership between Sangakkara and Jayuawardene is the highest by any pair against Canada in a World Cup game, surpassing the 142 for the first wicket between Stephen Fleming and Lou Vincent for New Zealand at Gros Islet on March 22, 2007.

* Jimmy Hansra's dismissal was Sangakkara's 25th stumping in Sri Lanka.

* Sangakkara completed his 350 dismissals - 279 catches and 71 stumpings. His tally includes 260 catches as a wicketkeeper and 19 as a fielder.

* Sangakkara has effected four dismissals in a World Cup innings three times - once each against New Zealand, Australia and Canada. No other Sri Lankan wicketkeeper has achieved the feat even once.

* John Davison posted his fourth duck - his second against Sri Lanka. He is yet to open his account against Sri Lanka.

* Davison, with two for 56, took his tally of wickets to 14 at an average of 26.64 - the highest by a Canadian bowler in the World Cup.

* Ashish Bagai (22) posted his highest innings against Sri Lanka in the World Cup.

* Bagai has failed to impress so far in the World Cup, aggregating 140 in ten innings at an average of 15.55 with a highest of 37 against New Zealand at Gros Islet on March 22, 2007.

* Nuwan Kulasekara (3/16) produced his best bowling performance in the World Cup. In the 2007 World Cup, he had failed to capture a single wicket against Australia and Ireland.

* Muttiah Muralitharan (19.67 in 32 matches) has emulated Wasim Akram's tally of 55 at 23.83 runs apiece in 38 matches. Only Glenn McGrath (71 at 18.19 in 39 matches) has taken more wickets than Akram and Muralitharan in the World Cup.

* Sri Lanka (332/7) posted their second highest total in the World Cup - their highest is 398 for five against Kenya at Kandy on March 6, 1996.

* The 332/7 is the second 300-plus score against Canada in the World Cup - the highest being the 363 for five by New Zealand at Gros Islet on March 22, 2007.

* Canada's winning percentage is just 7.69 in the World Cup - one win out of 13 played and 12 losses.

* Sri Lanka improved their success percentage in the World Cup to 46.49 - 26 wins and 30 losses out of 58 matches played (NR 1 Tied 1).

* Dilshan (50 off 59 balls) played brilliantly to register his second fifty in the World Cup. He had recorded 58 against South Africa at Providence on March 28, 2007.

* Upul Tharanga and Dilshan were involved in a stand of 63 - Sri Lanka's best for the first wicket against Canada.

* Sri Lanka's 210-run superb victory is their second largest by runs in the World Cup, behind the 243-run win against Bermuda at Port of Spain on March 15, 2007.

* The victory is the seventh largest in terms of runs in the World Cup. India had defeated Bermuda by 257 runs at Port of Spain on March 15, 2007 - the biggest in terms of runs in the World Cup.

* Jayawardene got his 16th Man of the Match award - his third in the World Cup.

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