Australian captain reaches 200-Test catch milestone as Kusal Mendis falls for 50 in SL vs AUS 2025 2nd Test [Watch]

Australia’s captain Steve Smith reached a significant milestone on Day 4 (Sunday, February 9) of the ongoing second Test against Sri Lanka, claiming his 200th catch in Test cricket. The match is being played at the Galle International Stadium.

The milestone moment came in the 64th over of Sri Lanka's second innings. On the fourth ball, veteran spinner Nathan Lyon bowled an off-break that bounced awkwardly, cramping Sri Lankan batter Kusal Mendis as he attempted to pull. Mendis could only manage a thick edge, which lobbed into the hands of Smith at short fine leg.

The right-handed batter made 50 off 54 balls, hitting five boundaries and one maximum. His wicket left Sri Lanka struggling at 217/9 after 63.4 overs.

Here’s a video of the dismissal:

Meanwhile, Steve Smith took his tally of Test cricket catches to 200 with this grab, joining Jacques Kallis in fifth place on the list of most catches by a non-wicketkeeper. Former Indian cricketer Rahul Dravid leads the list with 210 catches, followed by Joe Root in second with 207, and Mahela Jayawardene in third with 205.

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Steve Smith's Australia eyeing whitewash with 75 runs needed in final innings against Sri Lanka

Sri Lanka won the toss and chose to bat but had a tough outing, being dismissed for 257 in their first innings. Dinesh Chandimal (74) and Kusal Mendis (85*) were the standout contributors for the hosts. In response, Steve Smith and Alex Carey led the charge for Australia. Smith scored 131 off 254 balls, while Carey played a brilliant knock of 156 off 188 balls.

Although Australia lost their last seven wickets for just 64 runs, they still posted a solid total of 414, taking a healthy lead of 157 runs.

The hosts once again looked vulnerable in their second innings, losing half their side for just 128 runs. Veteran Angelo Mathews played a steady knock of 76, while Kusal Mendis chipped in with 50. However, there were no other notable contributions, and Sri Lanka were bowled out for 231 on Day 4. Australia now needs 75 runs to win the match.