Sri Lanka’s recent 8-wicket triumph over England at Kennington Oval in the third and last test match is just a temporary good moment, and have moved a step ahead after losing two consecutive games in the series. However, it remains to be seen if this victory is a sign of long-term success. Riding on Pathum Nissanka’s heroic knocks in back-to-back innings, the Sri Lankans were able to avoid a complete sweep in the 3-match test series on English soil.

Despite losing the match, England still managed to win the series by 2-1. Pathum Nissanka was granted the Player of the Match award, while Sri Lanka’s all-rounder Kamindu Mendis and England’s right-handed batter Joe Root bagged the Player of the Series award.

Although Sri Lanka lost the series, they claimed a well-deserved and historic win in the 3rd test match by achieving several sensational records, which would be interesting to find out in detail…

A Short Glimpse of Sri Lanka vs England 3rd Test Match 2024

Batting first, England posted a total of 325-10 in 69.1 overs. It was possible due to the effective contribution of the skipper Ollie Pope scoring 154 runs from 156 balls (including 19 fours and 2 sixes) and opening batter Ben Duckett’s 86 runs from 79 balls (including 9 fours and 2 sixes).

In response, Pathum Nissanka gave a good start for Sri Lanka by scoring 64 runs from 51 balls (including 9 fours). Even after the additional efforts from Dhananjaya de Silva (69 runs from 111 balls– including 11 fours) and Kamindu Mendis (64 runs from 91 balls – including 7 fours), Sri Lanka’s innings concluded with a score of 263-10 in 61.2 overs. However, England was able to take a lead by just 62 runs.

In contrast to the first innings, England’s batting performance dropped. Jamie Smith turned out to be the only top scorer with his 50-ball-67 run knock (including 10 fours and 1 six) and guided his team to a total of 156-10 in 34 overs. But, it wasn’t enough as England managed to set a target of just 219 runs against Sri Lanka.

Once again Sri Lanka’s opening batter played a crucial role in the chase by scoring one of his best unbeaten century against England in tests. Pathum Nissanka’s 127 runs from 124 balls (including 13 fours and 2 sixes) steered Sri Lanka to a comfortable win by achieving the required target of 219 runs in 40.3 overs for a loss of just 2 wickets.

Sensational Records of Sri Lankan Cricket Team vs England in Test: A Big Move in Red Ball Cricket

These are the outstanding records Sri Lanka achieved in test cricket which prove that they have taken a big step forward by securing a victory over England:

1. First Test Win in England After a Decade:

Dhananjaya de Silva’s led Sri Lankan cricket team concluded their 10-year waiting period of securing a win in England. It was in 2014 when Sri Lanka won their previous test match against England by 100 runs at Headingley.

2. Highest Run Chase by any Asian Team vs England:

Notably, Sri Lanka recorded a successful run chase of 219 runs, which is the highest by any Asian cricket team in England, and the stats are listed below:

• Sri Lanka: 219 runs vs England at The Oval in 2024.
• Pakistan: 180 runs vs Australia at Headingley in 2010.
• India: 173 runs vs England at The Oval in 1971.
• Pakistan: 148 runs vs England at The Oval in 2010.
• Pakistan: 138 runs vs England at The Lord’s in 1992.

3. Fourth-Highest win for Sri Lanka vs England:

In terms of winning margin, Sri Lanka achieved its fourth-highest victory against England:

• 1998: Won by 10 wickets.
• 2006: Won by 134 runs.
• 2014: Won by 100 runs.
• 2024: Won by 8 wickets.

4. Fifth-highest run Rate in 200-plus Run Chases:

Sri Lanka recorded the fifth-highest run rate while chasing a target of 200-plus in test cricket and the stats are listed below:

• England: 5.98 vs New Zealand at Trent Bridge in 2022.
• England: 5.77 vs South Africa at The Oval in 1994.
• New Zealand: 5.47 vs Bangladesh at Wellington in 2017.
• England: 5.45 vs New Zealand at Headingley in 2022.
• Sri Lanka: 5.40 vs England at The Oval in 2024.

5. Second Successful Run Chases Outside Asia:

Sri Lanka secured its second successful 200+ run chases in Tests outside the Asian region, following their thrilling 1-wicket victory against South Africa while chasing a target of 352 runs in Durban in 2019.

6. Fifth -Highest Century in Successful Run Chases in England:

As a visiting side batter, Patthum Nissanka scored the fifth-highest century in successful run chases in England based on the stats listed below:

• Gordon Greenidge (West Indies): *214 runs at Lord’s in 1984.
• Arthur Morris (Australia): 182 runs at Headingley in 1948.
• Don Bradman (Australia): *173 runs at Headingley in 1948.
• Graeme Smith (South Africa): *154 runs at Edgbaston in 2008.
• Patthum Nissanka (Sri Lanka): *127 runs at The Oval in 2024.

7. Third-Highest Match-Winning Test Centuries for Sri Lanka in 4th Innings: 

Patthum Nissanka’s unbeaten ton against England is the third highest for Sri Lanka in the 4th innings and ranks after Kusal Perera and former cricketer Aravinda de Silva in the list:

• Kusal Perera: *153 runs vs South Africa at Durban in 2019.
• Aravinda de Silva: *143 runs vs Zimbabwe at Colombo in 1998.
• Patthum Nissanka: *127 runs vs England at the Oval in 2024.

Final Opinion:

Although England won the test series, Sri Lanka managed to position themselves in the 5th spot above the hosts in the ICC World Test Championship (WTC) 2023–25 points table by shattering numerous records in the 3rd test match. With 36 points and 42.86 PCT in 7 matches, Sri Lanka is slightly ahead of England’s 42.19 PCT in 16 matches.

With this win, Sri Lanka keeps its hopes alive of sealing its place in the WTC 2025 final at the Lord’s.

Sri Lanka’s success at The Oval will be cherished for the sensational performances and the stunning records shattered and proves to the world that they remain a dominant force in international cricket and can perform well on foreign soil. Finally, the suspense of the WTC race is intensified to the next level. Sri Lanka’s momentum in the upcoming 2-match test series against New Zealand (September 18 to September 30), South Africa (November 27 to December 09), and Australia (January to February 2025) will be important in the completing phases of the cycle