Sri Lanka overtakes England in WTC standings with thrilling win

Sri Lanka secured a significant victory over England in the final match of the three-game Test series on Monday, helping them climb above the Three Lions in the World Test Championship (WTC) standings.

Although England claimed the series win, the Lankans turned the tables at The Oval, securing a strong position in both the match and the WTC rankings. Sri Lanka now boasts a points percentage of 42.857% from seven Tests, including three wins in this cycle, while England, despite winning eight out of 16 matches, sit just behind with a percentage of 42.187%.

In the first innings, England posted a total of 325 runs in 69.1 overs. They quickly put pressure on Sri Lanka, dismissing them for 263 in 61.2 overs. However, the third day saw Sri Lanka fight back, reducing England to 69/5, and soon after to 82/7.

Jamie Smith offered some resistance for England, scoring a quick 67 from 50 balls, allowing his team to set a target of 156 in 34 overs. Despite this, Sri Lanka came out firing, with Pathum Nissanka leading the charge, striking boundaries at more than six runs an over.

Nissanka brought up his half-century in just 42 balls, delivering a powerful performance. Shoaib Bashir's incredible catch on the fourth day ended the partnership between Nissanka and Kusal Mendis, with the latter departing after a 37-ball 39. Yet, Nissanka remained strong, finishing unbeaten on 127, guiding Sri Lanka to a memorable win alongside Angelo Mathews.

Nissanka's 127* is now the highest score by a Sri Lankan in the fourth innings of a Test since Kusal Perera's heroic 153* against South Africa in 2019.

Looking ahead, Sri Lanka will face the Black Caps and Australia in two home series. Meanwhile, Ollie Pope's England side is set to take on Pakistan in a three-match series before facing New Zealand later this year.