Stats: Rangana Herath becomes first left-arm spinner to pick up 400 Test wickets
Sri Lanka scripted an amazing heist against Pakistan in the first test match at Dubai when they emerged victorious by 21 runs.
Rangana Herath, the ageless wonder from Sri Lanka assumed centre stage all over again as he scalped 6 wickets for just 43 runs as Pakistan were dismantled for 114 runs in their second essay.
As Herath got rid of Mohammed Abbas, he scripted history by becoming the first left-arm spinner in the world to scalp 400 Test wickets. He is also the second Sri Lankan bowler to breach the 400-wickets mark.
Chasing a target of 136, Pakistan never got going and the combination of Herath and off-spinner Dilruwan Perera took advantage of a weary and sluggish fifth-day pitch to send the hosts packing for the just 114 runs. Only Haris Sohail showed some resistance and when he was batting with captain Sarfraz Ahmed, Pakistan believed, but then Herath stepped up and got rid of Sarfraz to send the Pakistan innings hurtling towards a frenetic end.
Dilruwan ended with 3 wickets, but the stage was set on fire by Herath who took the game by the horns and decided to turn the match in the favor of his team on the final session on the final day.
Herath has been a scourge for Pakistan in the recent past (100 wickets against Pakistan so far) and hence it was not surprising when he was man responsible for ending Pakistan's unbeaten run in Abu Dhabi.
Most Test wickets by left-arm spinners
400: Rangana Herath
362: Daniel Vettori
297: Derek Underwood
266: Bishan Bedi
188: Shakib Al Hasan
He has also entered a unique list and considering his wicket-taking spree one can only expect him to rise up the order:
Most wickets after 84 Tests....
478: M Muralidharan
419: Richard Hadlee
416: Dale Steyn
400: Rangana Herath
397: Anil Kumble