Jayawardene and Sangakkara shared a remarkable camaraderie, playing for Sri Lanka together for 15 years.
Only 24 times in Test cricket history has a team gone a full day without losing a single wicket. Remarkably, the city of Colombo alone has witnessed four such occurrences. One of the most notable instances was in 2006, featuring Sri Lanka's Mahela Jayawardene and Kumar Sangakkara, who began an unforgettable record-breaking partnership.
Jayawardene and Sangakkara shared remarkable camaraderie, playing for Sri Lanka together for 15 years. On this day in 2006, they surpassed the achievements of their predecessors in spectacular fashion. Against a formidable South African bowling lineup, the duo compiled a staggering 624-run stand.
South Africa (SA) opted to bat first after winning the toss on what appeared to be a flat pitch at the Sinhalese Sports Club in Colombo. SA struggled to build partnerships, losing wickets at regular intervals. Only AB de Villiers (65 off 72) showed some resistance, as the team was bowled out for a mere 169 in just over 50 overs.
In response, Sri Lanka's innings started poorly, with Dale Steyn removing Sanath Jayasuriya (4) and Upul Tharanga (7) in his first two overs. This brought Kumar Sangakkara and Mahela Jayawardene to the crease. Steyn had an early opportunity to dismiss Sangakkara when he was just seven, but Jacques Rudolph dropped a simple catch.
Mahela Jayawardene and Kumar Sangakkara are running between the wickets // Picture Courtesy -- ESPNCricinfo
Despite the ball continuing to move, Sangakkara and Jayawardene managed to weather the initial storm from Steyn and Makhaya Ntini. They then had to face Andre Nel, Hall, and Nicky Boje. Gradually, they began to score more freely, with Sangakkara reaching his fifty off 56 balls, thanks to three consecutive boundaries off Hall, while Jayawardene took 72 balls for his fifty. By the end of the first day, Sri Lanka was in a strong position at 128 for 2, with both batsmen well-set at the crease.
On the third day, the Sri Lankan batters wasted no time settling in, and runs began to flow effortlessly. The South African bowlers struggled to find effective strategies, and within 11 overs, Sri Lanka had erased the deficit. The partnership between Kumar Sangakkara and Mahela Jayawardene had surged past 150. Sangakkara was scoring briskly, bringing up his century with just 116 balls. On the other hand, Jayawardene adopted a more patient approach, reaching his century on the first ball after lunch.
As the partnership continued, Sri Lanka's score crossed 300 at a rate of more than four runs per over. Jayawardene started catching up with Sangakkara, and it became apparent that the bowlers were waiting for a mistake from the batters rather than forcing them out. Sangakkara was the first to reach his double century, and Jayawardene followed a few overs later, reaching the milestone with a six.
Mahela Jayawardene celebrates his double-century // Picture Courtesy -- Sportstar
From that point until the end of the third day's play, Sri Lanka maintained a run-a-ball pace, finishing the day with a lead of 316 runs. The partnership between Sangakkara and Jayawardene had grown to a colossal 471 runs. Jayawardene finally overtook Sangakkara's score on the third day. He clearly intended to build a formidable lead, so he accelerated his scoring rate. He swiftly reached his second career double-century, continuing to amass runs at a brisk pace.
Their partnership with Sangakkara kept increasing; with every run, they shattered multiple records. Both Sangakkara and Jayawardene were now eyeing their triple centuries. By the 155th over, they had set a new record as the first-ever pair to add 600 runs for a wicket in first-class cricket. A few deliveries later, Jayawardene reached his maiden triple century, and Sangakkara ran over to embrace his partner in celebration.
Jayawardene might have celebrated similarly, but shortly after, Sangakkara edged a delivery from Hall to Mark Boucher, falling for a magnificent 287, which included 35 boundaries. This dismissal marked the end of their monumental 624-run partnership. Jayawardene was eventually dismissed for 374, and Sri Lanka declared their innings at a colossal 756 for five and went on to win the match by an innings and 153 runs.
