Sri Lanka debutant Tharindu Rathnayake narrowly missed becoming the third bowler in Test history to concede 300 runs in his maiden game, finishing with 6-298 against Bangladesh at Galle.
The two teams are engaged in a two-match series, with the first match beginning on June 17. The visitors opted to bat first but were dealt three early blows, as they were reduced to 45-3. However, skipper Najmul Hossain Shanto (148) and Mushfiqur Rahim (163) led a remarkable fightback, taking the team to 309 without the fall of another wicket. Bangladesh were eventually dismissed for 495.
Tharindu Rathnayake concedes 298 runs on Test debut
The batters singled out the ambidextrous finger spinner Rathnayake, in particular. The 29-year-old, who had played 73 first-class matches for 337 wickets before his debut, was the most expensive bowler of the innings, giving away 196 runs in 49.2 overs. He also picked up three wickets, including that of Litton Das on 90, but finished with an economy rate of 3.97, the highest by any Sri Lanka bowler in the innings. It was also the fifth-most runs given away by a debutant in an innings.
In reply, Sri Lanka fell just ten short of Bangladesh’s first innings total. Bangladesh declared their second innings on 285-6, but Rathnayake was unable to stop the run-flow again. His 29 overs went for 102 runs at an economy rate of 3.51, and even though he picked up three wickets again, he found himself up at No.3 in the list of bowlers with the most runs given in their debut Test.
No other bowler from the country has conceded over 250 runs, with Suraj Randiv holding the previous record. He had given 222 runs in 73 overs on debut back in 2010 against India. Tharindu Kaushal (2-207 on debut) and Nishan Peiris (9-203) are the others from Sri Lanka who have conceded over 200 runs in their first Test.
Sri Lanka, who had been set a target of 296 to win the first Test, were 34-2 after 6.2 overs.
Most runs conceded on Test debut, full list
| Player | Match figures | Game | Start Date |
| Jason Krejza | 12-358 | Australia vs India | 6 Nov 2008 |
| Zahid Mahmood | 6-319 | Pakistan vs England | 1 Dec 2022 |
| Tharindu Ratnayake | 6-298 | Sri Lanka vs Bangladesh | 17 Jun 2025 |
| Donald Carr | 7-282 | England vs Australia | 9 Aug 1909 |
| Tich Freeman | 5-258 | England vs Australia | 19 Dec 1924 |
| Frank Ward | 8-240 | Australia vs England | 4 Dec 1936 |
| Doug Wright | 5-238 | England vs Australia | 10 Jun 1938 |
| Karn Sharma | 4-238 | India vs Australia | 9 Dec 2014 |
| Abrar Ahmed | 11-234 | Pakistan vs England | 9 Dec 2022 |
| Adil Rashid | 5-227 | England vs Pakistan | 13 Oct 2015 |
| Suraj Randiv | 2-222 | Sri Lanka vs India | 26 Jul 2010 |
| Sohag Gazi | 9-219 | Bangladesh vs West Indies | 13 Nov 2012 |
| Steve O'Keefe | 4-219 | Australia vs Pakistan | 22 Oct 2014 |
| Nahid Rana | 5-215 | Bangladesh vs Sri Lanka | 22 Mar 2024 |
| Roy Tattersall | 4-211 | England vs Australia | 2 Feb 1951 |
| Bilawal Bhatti | 5-211 | Pakistan vs Sri Lanka | 31 Dec 2013 |
| Abdur Rehman | 8-210 | Pakistan vs South Africa | 1 Oct 2007 |
| Yasir Arafat | 7-210 | Pakistan vs India | 8 Dec 2007 |
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