LONDON: Pathum Nissanka scored an unbeaten century in the run chase and powered Sri Lanka to a resounding eight-wicket victory over England in the third Test of the three-match series here at The Oval on Monday.
The victory marked Sri Lanka’s fourth against England in the latter’s backyard since their infamous win at Headingley in 2014.
But England took the three-match series 2-1, having won the Old Trafford Test by five wickets and Lord’s Test by 190 runs.
Sri Lanka, set to chase 219, resumed their second innings at 94/1 with Pathum Nissanka (53*) and Kusal Mendis (30*) going strong.
England made an early inroad with an important scalp of Mendis, who could score just nine to his overnight score and returned after scoring 39 off 37 deliveries.
Meanwhile, Nissanka remained unfazed by the dismissal and kept dominating the English bowlers. He put together an unbeaten 111-run partnership with veteran all-rounder Angelo Mathews (32*) to steer his side to glory before Lunch on the penultimate day of the third Test.
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He remained the top-scorer for Sri Lanka with an unbeaten 127 off just 124 deliveries, smashing 13 fours and two sixes amid his magnificent knock.
“It was a great opportunity to play in England and I enjoyed that innings,” said Nissanka.
“I just wanted to play my normal game and I have done that,” added the opener, who spent two years out of the Test side.
Sri Lanka captain Dhananjaya de Silva termed his side’s long-awaited victory over England as one of the happiest moments of his career.
“This is one of the happiest moments in my career and my life,” said De Silva.
“We had a tough time in the last two weeks so to come here and get a win in English conditions against an English team, it is a very good moment for me, my team, and my country as well.”
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