Jack Leach picked up the final wicket of the Sri Lanka innings to complete a maiden five-wicket haul.
Off-spinner Moeen Ali struck twice in three deliveries as England completed a 57-run victory in the second test against Sri Lanka on the final day on Sunday to take an unassailable 2-0 lead in the three-match series.
Left-arm spinner Jack Leach picked up the final wicket of the Sri Lanka innings to complete a maiden five-wicket haul in his third test with the hosts all out for 243. 38 of the 30 wickets in the fell to spinners while one wicket was taken by pacer. One batsman was run out.
This made England’s first Test series victory abroad since they won in South Africa at the beginning of 2016, and their first in Asia since Alastair Cook led England to their triumph in India in late 2012, which could be rated their finest ever win in India.
Sri Lanka, who resumed the final day on 226-7 needing 75 for victory, kept the England spinners at bay for 15 minutes in the morning session.
Niroshan Dickwella and Akila Dananjaya went for caution instead of attack as England waited for the breakthrough patiently.
Joe Root opted for Jack Leach and Moeen Ali, his two most accurate spinners, and kept the scoreboard pressure on the batsmen. It soon paid dividend as Moeen dismissed Niroshan Dickwella, who was caught at slip by Ben Stokes for 35. Dickwella, who had been scoring rapidly with his sweeps, opted for a drive and edged on a turning track.
Ali then sent back Sri Lanka's stand-in captain Suranga Lakmal for a duck just two deliveries later. Lakmal tried to defend against Moeen operating from round the wicket and was bowled through the gate.
With Sri Lanka needing to 61 runs more to win, it became a contest between Leach and Moeenm, who both had four wickets now, for the honour of the fifth wicket rather than a contenst between bat and ball.
Leach won as Malinda Pushpakumara spooned a catch straight back to him to give England the win.
Root declared MoM
"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," England captain Joe Root said at the post-match presentation. "(I) couldn't be more proud of the guys."
Root was named player of the match for his brilliant 124 in the second innings that helped his team post a daunting target to chase.
Sri Lanka batted well in both innings but Sam Curran's stylish 64 in the first innings and Root's astounding knock under pressure in the second made the difference for England.
"Sri Lanka played brilliantly in both innings. At times we lost clusters of wickets but we stayed very calm and managed to find ways to get back in the game and get the control back in our favour," Root added.
"We said we are going to come out here and play bold cricket, we were quite courageous at times and everyone's really bought into that. We are seeing the rewards now."
"We have to keep looking to improve. We have seen this team grow in the last six-eight months. We are not the finished article, we want to get to number one at some point.
"We have to be consistent to do that, in all parts of the world and on different surfaces."
With the Pallekele pitch assisting the slow bowlers, spinners completely dominated the match, taking 38 wickets.
Lakmal was the only seamer to pick up a wicket while the other was a run out.
It was also the first time since 1973 in Karachi that no seamer took a wicket in a test for England.
The third and final test of the series will start on Friday in Colombo.
(With Agency Inputs)
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