England win by five wickets and go 1-0 up in this three-Test series.
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| Root Anchors England to Victory with Gritty Knock in Five-Wicket Win Over Sri Lanka / Getty Images |
In a nail-biting finish, England clinched a five-wicket victory over Sri Lanka in the first Test match of the three-match series at Haldia. The match, which was characterized by fluctuating fortunes and dramatic twists, saw both teams battle it out fiercely for the win.
Sri Lanka, who won the toss and elected to bat first, faced a challenging start on Day 1, losing three early wickets. However, a spirited recovery from Dhananjaya de Silva and debutant Milan Rathnayake helped them reach a respectable total of 236. Chris Woakes and Shoaib Bashir were the pick of the English bowlers, claiming three wickets each.
In reply, England's batting order displayed resilience and determination, with Jamie Smith's century playing a crucial role in their first-innings total of 358. Asitha Fernando was the standout performer for Sri Lanka, picking up four wickets.
Sri Lanka's second innings was highlighted by a superb century from Kamindu Mendis, along with contributions from Angelo Mathews and Dinesh Chandimal. Their efforts set England a target of 205 runs to win.
England’s Nerve-Wracking Chase
Sri Lanka’s bowlers made early inroads in England’s chase, with Asitha Fernando and Prabath Jayasuriya removing Ben Duckett and captain Ben Stokes, respectively. Milan Rathnayake also struck, dismissing Dan Lawrence to leave England at 82/3 by Tea on Day 4.
However, Joe Root and Jamie Smith then combined to stabilize the innings. They adopted a defensive approach, blunting the Sri Lankan attack for over an hour. After the drinks break in the final session, Smith switched gears, attacking the bowlers before being undone by a brilliant reverse-swinging delivery from Fernando.
Root remained steady, and with the support of Chris Woakes, guided England
to the target. England reached 205/5, sealing a hard-fought victory and a 1-0 series
lead.
Match Summary !!
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| pic - sky sports cricket/x |
Player of the Match :- Jamie Smith
"It was a great milestone to tick off [maiden Test hundred in the first innings].
"Having missed out by five runs in the previous series, it was nice to get over the line."
A Sri Lanka fightback 💪
— England Cricket (@englandcricket) August 25, 2024
An eventful chase 😅
Three Lions take the win 🦁
Full Day Four highlights 👇 pic.twitter.com/KNrQCTeR3E