Key Highlights

• SL won the toss and chose to bat first
• Nissanka completed 1000 runs in the T20Is with his half-century in today’s match
• Sri Lanka scored 141 in 20 overs
• England scored 70 runs in Powerplay; the maximum PP score by any team this WC
• Sri Lanka bowled 13+ overs of spin, most by any team this WC.
• Stokes 44 (36) helped England won the match by 4 wickets.

It’s Sydney Cricket Ground that witnessed England vs Sri Lanka today in the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2022. It was the fight to secure a place in the Semi final for England after Australia and New Zealand have proven themselves as the prime contenders.

Sri Lanka won the toss and opted to bat first. Last 7 games were won by sides that batted first. Sri Lanka rested Madushan and added Karunaratne in the playing squad. Nissanka and Kusal Mendis came to open for Sri Lanka and Stokes opened the attack from England. Both openers looked promising today as they scored 9 runs in the opening over. Sri Lanka put 32 runs in 3 overs on the scoreboard. However, Woakes had other plans and removed Mendis from the crease in the fourth over. Sri Lanka was 54-1 after the Powerplay ended. Dhananjaya was soon sent back to pavilion by Sam Curran in the 9^th over of the Sri Lankan evening. In the first 10 overs, Sri Lanka added 80 runs on the scoreboard at a loss of 2 wickets. The spinners got successful to decelerate the flight of Sri Lanka.

After the drinks, Stokes was brought into attack and the decision was fine as he dismissed Asalanka at a score of 8 off just 9 balls. Nissanka kept punishing the loose deliveries from England to boundaries. Nissanka completed his 1000 runs in T20Is and scored his 9^th T20I fifty. But, in the 16^th over, Adil Rashid dismissed the dangerously looking Nissanka and gave a relief to his team. Nissanka scored 67 off 45 balls.

Sam Curran and Ben Stokes each took a wicket as Sri Lanka’s middle order batters all fell easily as a result of the pressure Rashid’s calm overs created. With his raw pace, Wood reemerged at the end to trouble Sri Lanka, giving up 10 runs in his final two overs while taking two wickets. After such a great start, Sri Lanka ends below par, i.e., 141-8 in 20 overs. The target of 142 might have broken some hearts of Australians as they didn’t want England to chase the score this easy.

In the run chase, England’s openers didn’t take much time to take off the inning right from the second over as Sri Lanka conceded 12 runs off the second over. After 4 overs, England added 38 runs on the scoreboard without losing a wicket. Buttler and Hales were convincingly hitting big shots for England. Resultantly, England scored 70 runs in the powerplay, the highest PP score of T20 World Cup 2022. Buttler and Hasaranga were removed by Hasaranga. But, this didn’t hamper England much as the damage for Sri Lanka was already done in the powerplay. After 10 overs, England was 86-2 and was looking to end the game within 15 overs. Soon Harry Brook was also sent to pavilion by Dhananjaya at a score of 4 (5). Livingstone and Stokes kept the scoreboard moving with singles, doubles, and boundaries on the poor deliveries. But, Livingstone could lead his team to the victory as he was dismissed by Kumara at 4 off 6 balls. Moeen Ali brought hopes for England but it’s was Shanaka who had a last laugh after he dismissed Ali at just 1 run. England was feeling the pressure and Sri Lanka was now leading the attack. After 15 overs, England was 113-5.

Sri Lanka bowled 13 overs of spin attack, the most by any team in this T20 World Cup. Consequently, Sam Curran also got dismissed by Kumara at a score of 6 off 11 balls.

England needed 11 runs of 10 balls. Stokes was England’s last hope to qualify for the Semi-final. He didn’t break hearts of his countrymen and helped England add 2 points for his team.

In the England vs Sri Lanka T20 battle, England won the game by 4 wickets as Woakes hit a winning boundary for England.