Sri Lanka Turn Tables On England In 3rd Test, Pull Off Thumping Eight-Wicket Win At The Oval.

Capping off their remarkable comeback with the ball on Day 3 with a sterling fourth-innings chase, Sri Lanka beat hosts England by eight wickets in the third and final Test, at The Oval on Monday (September 9, 2024). The visitors zoomed to the 219-run target in just 40.3 overs, with 'Player of the Match' Pathum Nissanka cracking an unbeaten century. (Ball-by-ball commentary | More Cricket News)

Though the series was already lost after the second Test, the win assumes significance for the Lankans as it comes in challenging English conditions and follows an indifferent run of results for the sub-continental side.

This is only Sri Lanka's fourth Test win in England, and breaks a five-match winning streak for the English Test side.

England clinched the series 2-1 but missed out on a second clean sweep of their international summer, having defeated the West Indies 3-0 in July.

Starting Day 4 on 94-1 and needing 125 more runs to win, the Sri Lankans needed barely two hours to complete the job in clinical fashion. The platform was built on Sunday when they skittled England for 156 in just 34 overs and were given a victory target of 219. Lahiru Kumara picked up four wickets, and Vishwa Fernando three as the Lankans blew away the home team's batting in an incisive display of swing bowling.