De Silva labels SL's Test win over England as career-defining
Sri Lankan cricket captain, Dhananjaya de Silva, has expressed his joy following the team's historic victory against England in the third and final Test at The Oval. He described this triumph as one of the "happiest moments" in his professional journey. This significant win marks Sri Lanka's first Test victory on English soil in a decade, despite an overall series defeat of 2-1.
De Silva reflects on team's resilience and strategy
De Silva reflected on the team's resilience during the challenging weeks leading up to this match. "We had a tough time in the last two weeks, and to come back here and get a win in English conditions against the England team is great," he said after the match. He further revealed that their strategy was focused on taking 20 wickets, a goal successfully achieved by his team.
De Silva praises Nissanka's match-winning performance
De Silva lauded opener Pathum Nissanka, whose unbeaten 127 in the fourth innings played a pivotal role in Sri Lanka's victory. He stated, "The moment he came in, he proved he is the best batter in Sri Lanka right now." Nissanka's impressive innings came at a crucial time when England had set a challenging target of 219 for Sri Lanka to chase.
Nissanka and Mathews steer Sri Lanka to victory
On the fourth day of the match, Sri Lanka resumed at 94-1, needing an additional 125 runs for victory. Nissanka, along with Angelo Mathews (32 not out), successfully chased down these runs in just over two hours. Their century partnership led Sri Lanka to finish on 219-2, securing an eight-wicket win against England. This marked only their fourth Test victory in England in over four decades.
De Silva highlights significance of historic win
De Silva emphasized the importance of this victory for his team, stating, "It is very special, winning in England." He praised his team's ability to handle pressure and adapt to different scenarios. He also acknowledged the hard work put in by both bowlers and batters throughout every match. Nissanka's century was a standout performance that played a significant role in Sri Lanka's victory.
England captain Pope admits being outplayed by Sri Lanka
England's captain, Ollie Pope, conceded that his team was outplayed by Sri Lanka. He stated, "We felt we were in a really good position and were outplayed for the last day and a session." Despite initial expectations of a clean sweep following victories over the West Indies and two wins against Sri Lanka, England faltered in their second innings, managing just 156/10 in 34 overs.
