Sri Lanka’s remarkable performance in the third Test at The Oval, led by Pathum Nissanka’s brilliant century and superb bowling in England’s second innings, secured them an eight-wicket win.
Despite England winning the three-match series 2-1, this victory marked a historic achievement for Sri Lanka. It was their first win in England in 10 years and the highest successful run chase by an Asian team on English soil, surpassing Pakistan’s 180-run chase against Australia in 2010.
In the match, England put up 325 runs in their first innings, with Ollie Pope’s blistering 154 and Ben Duckett’s 86 laying a strong foundation. However, Sri Lanka’s bowlers, led by Milan Rathnayake (3/56), kept England from posting an overwhelming total.
Sri Lanka’s response was rocky, as they slumped to 93/5, but a fighting 127-run partnership between captain Dhananjaya de Silva (69) and Kamindu Mendis (64) helped the team recover, finishing at 263, trailing by 62 runs.
England’s second innings collapsed under the pressure of Sri Lanka’s pace attack, managing just 156 runs. Lahiru Kumara’s 4/21 and Vishwa Fernando’s crucial strikes left England in tatters, setting a target of 219 for Sri Lanka.
Sri Lanka’s chase was spearheaded by Nissanka, who played a composed and commanding knock of 127* to see his team home with ease. His efforts, alongside Angelo Mathews’ calm 32*, ensured Sri Lanka crossed the line at 219/2.
This memorable win capped off a strong fightback by Sri Lanka, showing resilience and quality in foreign conditions.
