Pathum Nissanka enters Don Bradman, Sachin Tendulkar's list with unbeaten 127 in Sri Lanka's 1st Test win at The Oval since 1998

Sri Lanka opener Pathum Nissanka on September 9 scripted history at Kennington Oval, London. Nissanka scored an unbeaten 127 to get Sri Lanka over the line in the run chase of 219. The 26-year-old not only became the first Sri Lankan to score a century against England in fourth innings, he entered an elite list of legends as well. 
 

He became the 10th batter to score a Test century in the fourth innings against England in a winning cause. The list consists of legendary players Don Bradman, Sachin Tendulkar and others.
 

The first batter to achieve the feat was Australia's Joseph Darling in 1898 with a 160-run knock. Bradman did it with an unbeaten 173 at Leeds in 1949 alongside Arthur Morris who scored 182 in the same run chase. The top spot is occupied by West Indies' Gordon Greenidge with an unbeaten 214 at the Lord's in 1984. Tendulkar did it in Chennai with an unbeaten 103 in 2008.
 

Why Nissanka’s feat is massive?

However, Nissanka is the only batter to achieve the feat at Kennington Oval. Not even an England batter has been able to cross the 100-run mark at the venue in fourth innings. There is one other batter who has hit a century at the venue in fourth innings but in a losing cause. Australia's Matthew Wade scored 117 in a losing cause in Ashes 2019.

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Before Nissanka, the highest score by a Sri Lankan in fourth innings belonged to Angelo Mathews. The all-rounder scored 88 runs in Pallekele in 2018. Not one Sri Lankan batter had scored a half-century in a winning cause against England in fourth innings. 

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Also, Pallekele is the fifth Sri Lankan batter in the history of Test cricket to score a century in fourth innings and win the match. 
 

A win after a decade on English soil

The eight-wicket win was Sri Lanka's fourth Test win on England soil. The last Test they won in England was in June 2014. Only two players from that side are currently in the Sri Lankan squad. Their last win at Kennington Oval came in 1998 when legendary Muttiah Muralitharan bagged nine wickets in the third innings.
 

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