Courtesy: X
In the morning session on day four of the third and final Test match between England and Sri Lanka, Shoaib Bashir took a stunning catch at the square fine leg boundary, to dismiss Kusal Mendis off the bowling of Gus Atkinson. At the Oval in London, this was the only wicket picked up by the English bowlers, who were unable to stop Sri Lanka from chasing down the 219-run target with eight wickets in hand, to win only their fourth Test match on England soil.
During the first half hour of play on day four, England bowlers put the pressure on the set batters Kusal Mendis and Pathum Nissanka, who were in the midst of a good partnership. It led to a short delivery from Gus Atkinson, which was helped around the corner by Kusal Mendis, but to his surprise, Shoaib Bashir took a couple of steps from his square fine leg position, completing an impressive catch diving towards his left side, which led to a massive roar from the fans in the stands.
Pathum Nissanka stayed not out on 127 runs off just 124 balls to guide Sri Lanka to a famous Test win
After Kusal Mendis went back to the pavilion for 39 off 37 with seven fours, stitching together a 69-run stand with Pathum Nissanka, the arrival of Angelo Mathews, possibly for the last-time in a Test match in England, happened. With Sri Lanka needing a further 111 runs to win, Nissanka and Mathews took some time in the early stages of their partnership before putting the pressure back on England bowlers.
Pathum Nissanka, who wasn’t picked in the first Test of the series, completed his maiden Test hundred in England alongside his senior partner Angelo Mathews before they saw Sri Lanka over the line without losing any more wickets on day four. This was the fourth win for the Sri Lankan cricket team in England in 21 Test matches, apart from their first Test win on English soil in a decade.
Moreover, Sri Lanka will now be heading home to prepare themselves for a two-match Test series against New Zealand, which will begin on September 18.
