In the third Test at Kennington Oval, Ollie Pope's impressive 154 runs guided England to a first-innings total of 325. Despite Pope's century, England's middle order faltered, losing their last six wickets for just 35 runs, allowing Sri Lankan bowlers, led by Milan Rathnayake with three wickets, to remain competitive. Sri Lanka faced early trouble at 142 for five, but Dhananjaya de Silva and Kamindu Mendis stabilized the innings with an unbroken partnership of 118 runs, ending Day 3 at 211 for five, trailing by 114 runs. Pathum Nissanka provided a solid start with 64 runs, but the rest of the top order struggled. England, having already secured the series, faced criticism for their batting approach, particularly after a collapse from a promising position. The match continues to develop as Sri Lanka aims to take a lead in the game on Day 4.