Nissanka's unbeaten century guides Sri Lanka to win a Test in England after 10 years

England suffered a major blow in the 2023-2025 ICC World Test Championship points table after losing the last home Test against Sri Lanka at The Oval. Opener Pathum Nissanka scored a historic unbeaten century to secure an eight-wicket win for the visitors. 

The Oval hosted the final Test of the three-match Test series between England and Sri Lanka. Sri Lanka had a 219-run target in the fourth innings to win the Test match. Although the opener Dimuth Karunaratne was dismissed for cheaply (8 runs), another opener Pathum Nissanka performed strongly with the next two batters Kusal Mendis and Angelo Mathews. 

Nissanka and Mendis put on a 69-run partnership for the second wicket, while Nissanka and Mathews recorded an 111-run partnership for the unbroken third wicket. Mendis scored 39 runs and Mathews remained not out on 32 runs, while Nissanka scored 127 not out off 124 balls with the help of 13 fours and two sixes.

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Pathum Nissanka: First batter to record 50 runs in lesser balls in both innings of a Test match in England 

In the fourth innings of the Test match, Nissanka completed his 50 runs in 42 balls and 100 runs in 107 balls. Earlier, during Sri Lanka’s first innings of the Test match, opener Nissanka scored 64 off 51 balls, where the right-handed batter completed 50 runs in 40 balls.

Nissanka became the first batter in Test cricket history to score 50 runs for lesser balls in both innings of a Test match in England. Meanwhile, the right-handed batter became the ninth cricketer and second Sri Lankan batter to record 50 runs in lesser balls in both innings of a Test match. 

Players scoring 50 runs in lesser balls in both innings of a Test match

 Pathum Nissanka: First Sri Lankan batter to score a match-winning century in the fourth innings of a Test match in England

Nissanka also became the first Sri Lankan batter and seventh visiting batter to record a match-winning century in the fourth innings of a Test match in England. 

Visiting players with a century in the fourth innings of a Test match in England ended in a winning cause

Sri Lanka's previous Test victory against the hosts England was recorded in June 2014

In the first innings of The Oval Test match, England were bowled out for 325 runs as they lost their last six wickets for only 35 runs. English captain Ollie Pope scored 154 runs in that innings. 

Sri Lanka replied with 263 runs. Apart from the opener Nissanka (64), captain Dhananjaya de Silva (69) and Kamindu Mendis (64) scored 60s in that innings. 

England were bundled out for 156 runs in their second innings, as Sri Lanka required 219 runs to win the Test match. At the end of the series, England won the series by 2-1. But The Oval defeat is hurting England in the 2023-2025 ICC World Test Championship points table. 

It was Sri Lanka’s first Test win in England in the last ten years. Their previous Test victory in England was recorded in June 2014, when they won by 100 runs in the Leeds Test. That Test ended with a wicket on the penultimate delivery of the Test match. 

During Sri Lanka’s tour of England in 2016, the three-match Test series ended 2-0 for the hosts. After losing the first two Tests in the latest England tour, Sri Lanka ended their 10-year long wait to win a Test match in England.