After Australia declared their first innings at 654-6 riding on Usman Khawaja’s maiden double hundred and Steve Smith and debutant Jos Inglis' centuries, Sri Lanka were bundled out for 165. Following on, they were skittled out for yet another low score, this time for 247. Left-arm spinner Matthew Kuhnemann weaved his magic with figures of 5-63 and 4-86 across both innings. Nathan Lyon too played a crucial role with seven wickets (3-57 and 4-78) in the match.
For Sri Lanka, Dinesh Chandimal was the lone warrior in the first innings scoring 78, while Jeffrey Vandersay made a quickfire 53 in the second innings. Vandersay's 47-ball blitz contained seven fours and two sixes but it was too little an effort considering the context of the match.
What was Sri Lanka's previous worst defeat in Tests?
This is now Sri Lanka’s biggest-ever Test defeat surpassing their loss against India in Nagpur in 2017 when they were defeated by an innings and 239 runs.
🇱🇰: 165-10 (first innings)
— Wisden (@WisdenCricket) February 1, 2025
Matthew Kuhnemann shines with his second Test five-for, dismantling Sri Lanka for a low total in Galle.#SLvsAUS #Cricket #MathhewKuhnemann pic.twitter.com/DpPx3T94fa
The win is also the fourth biggest for Australia in the format; their best was against South Africa in Johannesburg in 2002 when they won by an innings and 360 runs.
Australia's victory at Galle is also the 10th-biggest overseas win by any team and the fifth-biggest by an away side in Asia.
Worst Test defeats (by an innings) for each team
Team | Opposition | Margin | Ground | Year |
Australia | England | innings & 579 runs | The Oval | 1938 |
South Africa | Australia | innings & 360 runs | Johannesburg | 2002 |
India | West Indies | innings & 336 runs | Eden Gardens | 1958 |
England | Australia | innings & 332 runs | Brisbane | 1946 |
New Zealand | Pakistan | innings & 324 runs | Lahore | 2002 |
Bangladesh | West Indies | innings & 310 runs | Dhaka | 2002 |
Zimbabwe | New Zealand | innings & 301 runs | Napier | 2012 |
West Indies | England | innings & 283 runs | Leeds | 2007 |
Ireland | Sri Lanka | innings & 280 runs | Galle | 2023 |
Afghanistan | India | innings & 262 runs | Bengaluru | 2018 |
Sri Lanka | Australia | innings & 242 runs | Galle | 2025 |
Pakistan | England | innings & 225 runs | Lord's | 2010 |
Biggest Test wins (by an innings) for Australia
Margin | Opposition | Ground | Year |
innings & 360 runs | South Africa | Johannesburg | 2002 |
innings & 332 runs | England | Brisbane | 1946 |
innings & 259 runs | South Africa | Gqeberha | 1950 |
innings & 242 runs | Sri Lanka | Galle | 2025 |
innings & 226 runs | India | Brisbane | 1947 |
innings & 222 runs | New Zealand | Hobart | 1993 |
innings & 217 runs | West Indies | Brisbane | 1931 |
innings & 212 runs | West Indies | Hobart | 2015 |
innings & 201 runs | Sri Lanka | Melbourne | 2012 |
innings & 200 runs | England | Melbourne | 1937 |
Biggest Test victory (by an innings) by an away side in Asia
Winner | Margin | Opposition | Ground | Year |
West Indies | innings & 336 runs | India | Eden Gardens | 1958 |
West Indies | innings & 310 runs | Bangladesh | Dhaka | 2002 |
South Africa | innings & 273 runs | Bangladesh | Chattogram | 2024 |
Sri Lanka | innings & 248 runs | Bangladesh | Mirpur | 2014 |
Australia | innings & 242 runs | Sri Lanka | Galle | 2025 |
India | innings & 239 runs | Bangladesh | Mirpur | 2007 |
Pakistan | innings & 222 runs | Sri Lanka | Colombo (SSC) | 2023 |
South Africa | innings & 208 runs | Sri Lanka | Colombo (SSC) | 1993 |
South Africa | innings & 205 runs | Bangladesh | Chattogram | 2008 |
West Indies | innings & 193 runs | India | Chennai | 1949 |
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