They've been playing Test cricket since 1981, but when it comes to red-ball contests against Australia, Sri Lanka have predominantly found themselves on the receiving end.
Test matches between these two nations have historically seen Australia bludgeoning Sri Lanka into oblivion, even when Muttiah Muralitharan, Kumar Sangakkara and Aravinda De Silva were at the peak of their powers.
Especially in Australia, Sri Lanka are yet to win a match against them despite having been a Test cricket nation for over 40 years.
These repeated thrashings were dispersed with sporadic success in the 80s and 90s, however the turn of the century saw Sri Lanka somewhat come to terms with playing Australia in Test cricket.
Red-ball cricket between these two teams suddenly became more competitive and has produced some memorable matches that are certainly worth an honourable mention. Here are my top five best Test matches between Australia and Sri Lanka.
1. July 2016 – 1st Test Match - Kandy – Sri Lanka win by 106 runs
A match-winning 176 from a 21 year old Kusal Mendis ensured that Sri Lanka's second-ever Test victory over Australia would be won in an emphatic manner that nobody ever saw coming. Especially given how it started, that the game scraped its way past lunch on the final day is somewhat of an incredulous feat itself.
Winning the toss and batting first did no favours for Sri Lanka, as they were embarrassingly rolled for a paltry 117. Nathan Lyon and Steve O'Keefe were the chief destroyers in Australia's spin department, taking three and two wickets each respectively.
Although Starc was expensive, he claimed two scalps. However the pick of Australia's bowlers in Sri Lanka's first innings was the ever-miserly Josh Hazlewood, conceding just 2.10 runs per over in his three-for.
Australia fared no better in their first innings, as they were also demolished for 203 thanks to some spin bowling wizardry from veteran left-arm tweaker Rangana and debutant Lakshan Sandakan.
Sri Lanka's spinners claimed eight wickets in Australia's first innings, with doubts around the visitors' frailties against playing quality spin bowling resurfacing once more.
Although the visitors had a sizeable 86 run lead going into Sri Lanka's second, any hopes around whether that would matter at all were snuffed out thanks to a brilliant maiden Test century from Kusal Mendis.
With helpful cameos from Dinesh Chandimal, Dhananjaya De Silva and even Rangana Herath, Sri Lanka managed to pile on a hefty 353 in their second dig, leaving a victory target of 268 for a beleaguered and overwhelmed Australia.
Scoring that many runs on the last day on a pitch taking that much turn would prove to be too much for the visitors.
Rangana Herath made this known as he ran ragged through Australia, taking five wickets for just 55 runs, leaving the visitors embarrassed, flummoxed and utterly bamboozled by his wily left-arm spin.
Steve Smith batted well for a stubborn 55 and at times appeared as the only Australian batsman capable of playing on a turning wicket. However as wickets continued to tumble around him, it was apparent that Sri Lanka's commanding 106-run win would merely become a formality.
