Oshada Fernando and Kusal Mendis pump their fists in celebration after leading Sri Lanka to an eight-wicket win over South Africa in the Second Test at Port Elizabeth. The pair posted an unbeaten 163-run partnership for the third wicket.
PORT ELIZABETH, FEBRUARY 23: Sri Lanka notched up a remarkable victory in the Second Test against South Africa to become the first Asian team to win a Test series in the rainbow nation as they swept the two-match series on Saturday.
Needing 197 for victory on the third day, Sri Lanka rode on an unbeaten 163-run partnership between Oshada Fernando and Kusal Mendis to reach the target with 8 wickets in hand.
Mendis top-scored with 84 not out off 110 balls while Fernando scored 75 from 106 balls to register a historic win for Sri Lanka.
The result ended South Africa’s run of seven straight Test series wins at home as Sri Lanka pulled off a major upset after being completely written off at the start of the series.
Sri Lanka is only the third team after Australia and England to win a Test series in South Africa since 1991. England lead the list with 11 Test series wins in South Africa while Australia have won 10 times.
Prior to this series, the Lankans had not won a game in any format since October.
Before Saturday, that was the only time South Africa had been swept at home since its return to international cricket after the end of apartheid.
The visitors had won the first Test by 1 wicket after chasing down 304 thanks to a heroic knock of 153 by Kusal Perrera on the final day of the match.
The victory target for Sri Lanka in Port Elizabeth was much easier than the first test, although South Africa’s fast bowlers struck twice late on the second day to make it clear it wasn’t going to give up that home record easily.
Kagiso Rabada and Duanne Olivier removed openers Lahiru Thirimanne and Dimuth Karunaratne, the captain, in consecutive overs to leave Sri Lanka tottering at 34-2.
Kusal Mendis strode in and swiped two fours through the covers to take Sri Lanka to 60 for 2 at the close. Oshada Fernando was with him on 17 not out. The two batsmen then continued to slay the Proteas bowling attack and ensured no more wickets were lost as they completed the run chase in the first session itself.
Mendis was the Man of the Match for his unbeaten 84. “I am happy that I did well in this game and would like to continue my form from 2018. Would also like to thank the support staff, the physio – since I had twisted my ankle – and would like to thank the entire team,” Mendis said.
“We were poor with the bat right through the series. Both teams underperformed with the bat on two pitches that were conducive to scoring runs. Two guys scoring big runs like those two, should’ve happened,” South Africa skipper Faf du Plessis said at the post-match presentation.
“This is a massive dent, up until this Test series, we were playing well at home, positive and aggressive Tests. Last two Tests, we weren’t on as a team. We didn’t take them for granted, end of season, maybe perhaps the guys were mentally a little bit off. But again that’s no excuse,” he added.
Kusal Menis pulls the ball on the onside on the way to 84 not out.
Sri Lanka’s stand-in skipper Dimuth Karunaratne, who led the side in both the Tests after regular skipper Dinesh Chandimal was dropped for this series, thanked the team’s young stars who stepped up their game in all three departments throughout the two matches.
“It’s really a great feeling. Not easy when you come to South Africa and win a series. Lot of hard work, we did really well, enjoyed a lot and that’s why we created history.
“I think the tours of New Zealand and Australia were really tough, we learnt a lot. The players wanted to do better for the team and for themselves. They realised what to do and what not to do, and that’s why we are here,” Karunaratne said.
Kusal Perera, who had won the man-of-the-match award in the first Test, was adjudged Player of the Series. (India Today).
