New Delhi: India claimed a historic series win in Sri Lanka after 22 long years as Virat Kohli & Co. beat the hosts in third Test by 117 runs. Chasing 386 for a win, Sri Lanka resumed Day 5 at 67/3 but Angelo Mathews and Kusal Perera shared a 135-run stand for the 5th-wicket to put Sri Lanka in the lead. The turning point came when Perera was caught for 70 just before Tea. After Tea, India took the new ball and Sri Lanka lose their last 4 wickets for 19 runs to lose the Test.
Off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin’s perseverance paid off when Perera (70), engaged in a brilliant fightback with skipper Angelo Mathews, needlessly reverse-swept to give a catch to Rohit Sharma at point. The dismissal ended a 135-run sixth-wicket partnership that had not only raised hopes of Sri Lanka salvaging a draw but even pulling off an improbable victory on the final day.
India’s only previous series win in Sri Lanka had come in 1993, when they won 1-0. It was India’s first away series triumph since Mahendra Singh Dhoni’s team defeated West Indies 1-0 in 2011. It was Sri Lanka’s second successive home series defeat in a row, having lost 1-2 to Pakistan.
Mathews (110) scored his seventh Test century, and second of the series, to lead Sri Lanka’s fightback in one of their strongholds after another top-order collapse. However, the big setback close to tea left India eyeing victory.
Bureau Report
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