Sri Lanka’s Historic Win in England: Dhananjaya de Silva and Pathum Nissanka Shine
London [UK], September 9: Sri Lankan cricket team, led by skipper Dhananjaya de Silva, celebrated a memorable victory against England in the third Test at The Oval. This win marked Sri Lanka’s first victory in England in 10 years and their fourth overall in the country.
Match Highlights
Pathum Nissanka’s brilliant century and a strong performance by Sri Lankan bowlers in the second innings were key to their eight-wicket win. The victory also set a record for the highest successful run chase (219) by an Asian team in England, surpassing Pakistan’s 180-run chase against Australia in 2010.
Skipper’s Joy
After the match, Dhananjaya de Silva expressed his happiness, calling it one of the happiest moments of his career. He praised his team for their resilience and ability to take 20 wickets in challenging English conditions.
Pathum Nissanka’s Performance
Dhananjaya hailed Pathum Nissanka as the best batter in Sri Lanka. Nissanka scored an unbeaten 127 runs in the second innings, helping Sri Lanka achieve their target with ease.
Match Summary
| England | Sri Lanka |
|---|---|
| 325 and 156 | 263 and 219/2 |
| Jamie Smith 67, Dan Lawrence 35 | Pathum Nissanka 127*, Kusal Mendis 39 |
| Lahiru Kumara 4/21 | Gus Atkinson 1/44 |
England’s first innings saw notable contributions from Ollie Pope (154) and Ben Duckett (86). Sri Lanka’s bowlers, led by Milan Rathnayake (3/56), restricted England to 325. In response, Sri Lanka managed 263, thanks to a crucial partnership between Dhananjaya de Silva (69) and Kamindu Mendis (64).
In England’s second innings, Jamie Smith’s 67 was the only highlight as Sri Lankan bowlers dominated, with Lahiru Kumara taking 4/21. Chasing 219, Sri Lanka lost Dimuth Karunaratne early but Nissanka’s century and Kusal Mendis’ 39 ensured a comfortable win.
Doubts Revealed
Sri Lanka -: Sri Lanka is a small island country located in the Indian Ocean, just south of India. It is known for its beautiful beaches, rich history, and cricket.
Dhananjaya de Silva -: Dhananjaya de Silva is a famous cricketer from Sri Lanka. He is known for his skills in batting and sometimes bowling.
Pathum Nissanka -: Pathum Nissanka is another talented cricketer from Sri Lanka. He played very well in the match against England, scoring 127 runs without getting out.
The Oval -: The Oval is a famous cricket ground in London, England. Many important cricket matches are played there.
Test -: A Test match is a type of cricket game that lasts up to five days. It is considered the longest and most challenging format of the game.
Eight-wicket win -: An eight-wicket win means that the winning team achieved the required runs with eight of their players still not out.
Run chase -: A run chase in cricket is when one team tries to score the same number of runs or more than the other team to win the match.
Resilience -: Resilience means being strong and able to recover quickly from difficulties. In this context, it means the team kept trying hard even when things were tough.
