Sri Lanka chased down 219 to beat England by 8 wickets, maintaining their 100% win record at The Oval in Tests.
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| Nissanka's 127* is the highest score by a Sri Lankan in the fourth innings of a Test match since Kusal Perera's 153* in 2019. / Getty |
Sri Lanka achieved a remarkable 8-wicket victory over England in the final Test at The Oval, maintaining their 100% win record at this venue in Tests. In the process, they registered the highest successful run chase by an Asian team on English soil. This victory ensured that Sri Lanka avoided a whitewash, while England ended their home summer with disappointment, having missed a chance to remain unbeaten in Tests.
Opting to bowl first after winning the toss under overcast skies, Sri Lanka initially struggled as Ben Duckett (86) and Ollie Pope (154) helped England to a strong position of 261/3.
However, a middle-order collapse saw the hosts bundled out for 325. Milan Rathnayake led the Sri Lankan bowling with three wickets, while Vishwa Fernando, Lahiru Kumara, and skipper Dhananjaya de Silva contributed with two wickets each.
In response, Sri Lanka’s Pathum Nissanka gave his side a flying start, scoring 64 off 51 balls. The middle order struggled, but vital contributions from Dhananjaya de Silva (69) and Kamindu Mendis (64) steered Sri Lanka to 263. Debutant Josh Hull and Olly Stone picked up three wickets each, giving England a 62-run lead.
England’s second innings proved to be a disaster. Daniel Lawrence (35) threw away his start, while the rest of the batting line-up faltered under pressure.
Jamie Smith’s fighting knock of 67 off 50 balls gave them hope, but they collapsed to 156 all out. Lahiru Kumara was the star with the ball, taking 4/21, supported by Vishwa Fernando (3 wickets) and Asitha Fernando (2 wickets).
Set a target of 219, Sri Lanka made light work of the chase. Pathum Nissanka led the charge with a brilliant unbeaten century (127*), his second in Test cricket. Supported by Kusal Mendis (39) and Angelo Mathews (32*), Sri Lanka cruised to victory with more than two days to spare, handing England an 8-wicket defeat.
This win marked Sri Lanka’s fourth Test victory in England and their first since 2014, capping off the series on a high note. Nissanka’s heroic innings sealed the victory with a boundary, etching his name into Sri Lankan cricket history.
A maiden Test hundred in England that Pathum Nissanka will never forget 🌟#WTC25 | #ENGvSL 📝: https://t.co/hm9ewo1kmE pic.twitter.com/X3PMEMLX3W
— ICC (@ICC) September 9, 2024