Kumar Sangakkara became the first man to score centuries in four consecutive one-day internationals today as Sri Lanka beat Scotland by 148 runs in Hobart.
His latest hundred means that Sangakkara is now the leading run-scorer in a tournament that he has said will be his last. There will be no shortage of supporters begging him to reconsider that decision to retire and as if to underscore his contribution to Sri Lankan cricket, in Scotland’s innings, Sangakkara moved past Adam Gilchrist as the wicketkeeper with most World Cup dismissals.
While a wicketkeeper can only take the catches and complete the stumpings that his bowlers procure, it is remarkable that Sangakkara still holds his own behind the stumps at the age of 37 and in spite of the added responsibility of his batting. He was, for example, on the field for 76 of the 94 overs played today, in his 403rd one-day international, to go with 130 Tests and 56 Twenty20 internationals in a 15-year career. Few would deny that his retirement will be well deserved.
Aided today by Tillakaratne Dilshan, who also reached three figures in a partnership of 195, Sangakkara followed up hundreds against Bangladesh, Australia and England with his highest score of the tournament so far, 124 from 95 balls, with 13 fours and four sixes. Only Sourav Ganguly and Sachin Tendulkar have shared more century stands in one-day internationals and Sangakkara is second and third on the all-time list of productive ODI partnerships, alongside Mahela Jayawardene and Dilshan respectively.
In terms of consecutive centuries, the Sri Lanka No 3 has now surpassed the South Africa trio of Herschelle Gibbs, AB de Villiers and Quinton de Kock, New Zealand’s Ross Taylor and the Pakistan duo of Zaheer Abbas and Saeed Anwar, all of whom managed three in a row.
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Sri Lanka looked likely to record the fourth total of more than 400 at the 2015 World Cup, especially when Angelo Mathews struck 51 from 21 balls, before a clutch of late wickets prevented the necessary acceleration. They finished on 363 for nine. In reply, Scotland were bowled out for 215 in the 44th over. Freddie Coleman and Preston Mommsen made half centuries.
Sri Lanka will probably finish third in group A, behind Australia and New Zealand, who are expected to beat Scotland and Bangladesh respectively in their final group games.
Sangakkara’s successive centuries
105* v Bangladesh (76 balls, 13 x 4s, 1 x 6), Melbourne, Feb 26
117* v England (86 balls, 11 4s, 2 6s), Wellington, March 1
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104 v Australia (107 balls, 11 4s, 0 6s), Sydney, March 8
124 v Scotland (95 balls, 13 4s, 4 6s), Hobart, March 11