A young, inexperienced Sri Lanka side, on Saturday, achieved what no Asian team did before, becoming the first Asian team to win a Test series in South Africa after Oshada Fernando and Kusal Mendis propelled the visitors to an eight-wicket win in the second Test at Port Elizabeth to clinch a historic 2-0 series triumph.
Fernando was unbeaten on 75 off 106 balls, while Mendis scored 84 not out off 110 deliveries as Sri Lanka chased down the victory target of 197 by lunch.
Dimuth Karunaratne & Co. showed some character and recorded a clinical win especially after victory in the Durban Test.
Here’s how Twitter reacted to Sri Lanka’s historic win:
Congratulations !!! Great team work to achieve something special. proud of the boys.. Well done @IamDimuth and the team. 👍👊👊👊
— Mahela Jayawardena (@MahelaJay) February 23, 2019
Congratulations again @OfficialSLC for making history for Sri Lanka and Asia with this win. @IamDimuth @CHathurusinghe @KusalMendis1 @NiroshanDikka
— Kumar Sangakkara (@KumarSanga2) February 23, 2019
Well done Sri Lanka!!! Huge respect! 🙏🏻💪🏻👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻 https://t.co/naJWupom8U
— Dean Jones AM (@ProfDeano) February 23, 2019
Congratulations to Sri Lanka on a fantastic Test series win against SA in SA. This must be one of their greatest moments in their Test history. My friend @RusselArnold69 will be a really happy man #SAvSL
— VVS Laxman (@VVSLaxman281) February 23, 2019
Wow, Sri Lanka! Hats off! Going where no Asian team has gone before, where better Sri Lankan teams haven't. This is big! Very big.
— Harsha Bhogle (@bhogleharsha) February 23, 2019
Bravo Boys ! Congratulations to Captain Dimuth and the team , thank you for keeping the promise and Sri Lanka Cricket Alive ! First Asian team to win a series against SA in South Africa ,well done
— Harin Fernando (@fernandoharin) February 23, 2019
Incredible effort to win the series 0-2. This is huge for Sri Lankan and definitely world cricket. Test cricket has turned on its head in the last few months n its brilliant #SAvSL
— Deep Dasgupta (@DeepDasgupta7) February 23, 2019
Congratulations boys. No word to say really happy about u all. Vishwa, oshada, kasun and Lasith impressed. KJP u beauty. Wel done to all the players and supporting staff.Wel done. Wel done.👏👏.@IamDimuth @KusalJPerera @Dhananjaya7575 @KusalMendis1 @CHathurusinghe @NiroshanDikka
— Dhammika Prasad (@imDhammika) February 23, 2019
Overwhelmed by the positivity coming out from the neighbours back in the Sub continent !!! 😁😁😁Awesome #SAvSL
— Russel Arnold (@RusselArnold69) February 23, 2019
Truly remarkable achievement by @OfficialSLC 👏👏👏
— Jimmy Neesham (@JimmyNeesh) February 23, 2019
Bravo Sri Lanka! Series victory to cherish forever 👏👏👏👏
— Cricketwallah (@cricketwallah) February 23, 2019
Really happy for the boys, fantastic team effort. This series win among the Top achievements of Sri Lanka Cricket. Well done @iamdimuth & team, Coaching staff.
— Rangana Herath (@HerathRSL) February 23, 2019
Arguably the best day ever in the history of Asian test Cricket n surely the best day ever for #SLC.
Weldone @IamDimuth n team!
You made the entire nation proud🇱🇰🇱🇰 #SAvSL #LionsRoar #Speechless— Danushka Gunathilaka (@danushka_70) February 23, 2019
A remarkable test and series victory for @OfficialSLC, history making achievement. Who would’ve thought after their recent performances in Australia & NZ. #SAvSL #Congratulations
— Tom Moody (@TomMoodyCricket) February 23, 2019
Ayubowan Sri Lanka. So many seniors missing. Yet @OfficialSLC are the first Asian team to win a series in South Africa. One of the toughest places to win. Impossible really is nothing. My guy @RusselArnold69 will be dancing in the streets as will many in Sri Lanka👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻
— Ian Raphael Bishop (@irbishi) February 23, 2019
Worth having a listen purely for some fabulous insights into @OfficialSLC from @MarkMachado. An incredible series win. India the 1st subcontinent team to win in Aus and SL, the first in SA. Test cricket is alive and kicking #SAvSL https://t.co/4lpD7I8QcK
— Isa Guha (@isaguha) February 23, 2019
– Six weeks ago India became the first Asian side to win a Test series in Australia.
– Today Sri Lanka became the first Asian side to win a Test series in South Africa.
With this, at least one of the Asian sides have now won a Test series in every Test-playing country!#SAvSL— Mohandas Menon (@mohanstatsman) February 23, 2019
Great win for Sri Lanka 👏🏽👏🏽👏🏽#OnceAgainProve…
Great batting display by @KusalMendis1 and Oshada
Well played boys made us proud
It’s a great Test series win for Sri Lanka#MadeAHistory— Thisara perera (@PereraThisara) February 23, 2019
Kusal Perera is the Player of the Series for his 153* in Durban : https://t.co/exeRykJaDZ#SAvSL #SLvSA #Cricket #TheCricketTimes pic.twitter.com/2sCVlvqEzN
— CricketTimes.com (@CricketTimesHQ) February 23, 2019
