Statistical highlights

Sri Lanka vs Bangladesh, Pietermaritzburg

The City Oval at Pietermaritzburg became the 145th ground to host a limited-overs international. It was also the 12th city and ground to do so in South Africa.

• Aravinda de Silva became the fifth player after Wasim Akram (351 matches), Mohammad Azharuddin (334), Steve Waugh (325) and Sachin Tendulkar (304) to appear in 300 or more matches in LOIs.
• Chaminda Vaas became the only third bowler in World Cup history to take a hat-trick after India's Chetan Sharma (v New Zealand at Nagpur on 31-10-1987) and Pakistani Saqlain Mushtaq (v Zimbabwe at The Oval on 11-6-1999).
• However, Vaas became the first bowler in international cricket history (including Tests) to do so in his very first over (actually off the first three balls of the match). For the record, Vaas's former teammate Nuwan Zoysa has the distinction of claiming the quickest Test hat-trick, which came off the second over of the match against Zimbabwe at Harare in November 1999.
• Vaas's hat-trick was the 16th to be achieved in LOIs. It was the second hat-trick for Vaas after the one he had against Zimbabwe at Colombo (SSC) on 8-12-2001.
• The Vaas hat-trick in this match is the only second to be achieved on South African soil. Pakistani Waqar Younis had taken one against New Zealand at East London on 19-12-1994 during the Mandela Trophy tournament.
• Bangladesh opener Hannan Sarkar now becomes the only second batsman after New Zealander John Wright to be dismissed off the first ball in a World Cup match. Wright was dismissed "bowled" by Australian Craig McDermott at Auckland on 22-2-1992 -- the opening match of the 1992 World Cup.
• Vaas has now dismissed a batsman off the very first ball of a LOI match on five separate occasions -- the most by any bowler in LOIs. Pakistani Wasim Akram achieved this feat four times.
• Mashrafe Mortaza's 28 was the highest score made by a Bangladeshi batsman while batting at number ten. He went past the previous best of 21 runs by Hasibul Hossain against India at Mumbai on 25-5-1998.
• Vaas's 6-25 (9.1 overs) recorded the best bowling performance for the Sri Lankans in the World Cup bettering the previous best of 5-32 (in 12 overs) by former pace bowler Asantha de Mel against New Zealand at Derby on 18-6-1983.
• Vaas's bowling performance was statistically the second best by any bowler against Bangladesh. The best still remains as the 6-20 (in 10 overs) by former Zimbabwean left arm paceman Bryan Strang at Nairobi (Aga Khan ground) on 14-10-1997.
• Vaas, who has the record haul of 8-19 (v Zimbabwe at Colombo, SSC on 8-12-2001) in LOIs, became the third bowler after Pakistani Waqar Younis (on five occasions!) and Zimbabwean Henry Olonga to capture six or more wickets in a LOI match on more than one occasion.
• Thanks to his six-wicket haul Vaas has now become the highest wicket-taker for Sri Lanka in the World Cup He went past the tally of 18 wickets each by Asantha de Mel and teammate Muttiah Muralitharan.
• Playing in his 182nd match and 180th innings Marvan Atapattu (69 not out on 30) became the fourth Sri Lankan and the 24th batsman in LOIs to aggregate 6000 runs. He now has 6039 runs.
• This was Bangladesh's 27th loss in the last 28 matches. The team is still to win a match during this period.
• This was Sri Lanka's 10th win a row against Bangladesh.
• This was Sri Lanka's second win by 10-wiackets in LOIs. The team had beaten England at Colombo (SSC) on 27-3-2001 by a similar margin.
• This was Chamida Vaas's third man-of-the-match award in 212 matches. His only other such awards came against New Zealand (for taking 3-20) on 31-7-2001 and against Zimbabwe (for taking a record 8-19) on 8-12-2001 -- both coming at the SSC, Colombo.