Off-spinner Moeen Ali bagged two wickets in three deliveries to guide England to a memorable 57-run victory in the second Test against Sri Lanka to ensure a historic series-winning 2-0 lead in the three-match series.
England's left-arm spinner Jack Leach, after picking up four scalps on Saturday, grabbed the final Sri Lankan wicket to accomplish a maiden five-wicket haul as the home side was all out for 243.
Resuming from the overnight score of 226 for seven, the Sri Lankans needed 75 for victory when they started the day's play on Sunday morning. The overnight Sri Lankan batsmen kept the England spinners at bay for just 15 minutes before Moeen removed Niroshan Dickwella.
Jack Leach of England catches Malinda Pushpakumara of Sri Lanka as England won the 2nd Cricket Test at Pallekele Cricket Stadium in Kandy, Sri Lanka. /VCG Photo
The off-spinner then struck again after one delivery as he dismissed Sri Lanka's stand-in captain Suranga Lakmal for a duck. Ali finished with the bowling figure of 4-72 while Leach's innings haul was 5-83.
When the last Sri Lankan batsman Malinda Pushpakumara gave a catch straight back to bowler Leach, England accomplished their first away series win in Tests since humbling South Africa at the beginning of 2016.
This emphatic win also marks England's first series victory in Asia since 2012 when they outclassed India and scripted their first series win in Sri Lanka since 2001.
England captain Joe Root said after the series win said, “It was a brilliant test match. We were very good for the whole game. At times we were under pressure and we responded really well to that.”
“[I] couldn't be more proud of the guys,” he added.
Incidentally, it was a double bonanza for Root as he was also named the player of the match for his brilliant 124 in the second innings.
The third and final Test of the series will get underway on Friday in Colombo.
(With inputs from agency)