SL VS ENG: Sam Curran’s Hat-Trick Restricts Sri Lanka To 133 In 17-Over Game.

Sam Curran stole the thunder towards the backend of the reduced 17-over game as Sri Lanka lost the plot to be bowled out for 133 in 16.2 overs. Adil Rashid was the pick of the bowlers with 3/19 as England came back after the powerplay overs to keep Sri Lanka to a below par score. For Sri Lanka, Kusal Mendis top scored with 37 but some others got starts but couldn’t really kick on to get the score to say above 150.

Sri Lanka get off to a fast start despite losing Kamil Mishara early. 

Put into bat first, Pathum Nissanka and Kamil Mishara came out to bat for Sri Lanka while Sam Curran had ball in hand for England. Mishara was off and running as he slammed the bowler away past mid-off for a boundary. Nissanka joined the fun as he thumped the ball through extra covers for a boundary. Mishara again punched Curran through covers for a boundary.

Jofra Archer took the ball from the other end. He started with a miserly over. Jamie Overton came to the attack next and was welcomed with a maximum from Mishara as the ball went over deep midwicket for the maximum. Overton had the last laugh as he removed Mishara for 16 off 9 balls with 2 fours and one six to his name as Dawson took the catch at covers. Kusal Mendis came out to bat next. Archer continued as Nissanka smashed him through extra covers for a boundary. Mendis whacked Archer away as well between backward point and short third for a boundary.

Liam Dawson came into the attack next. He gave away 4 leg byes to the batting side. Nissanka played it nicely behind square on the off-side for a boundary. Nissanka went big and launched Dawson over long-off for the maximum. Sri Lanka reached 50/1 in 5 overs. Adil Rashid came into the attack next as the score was 51/1 in 5.1 overs at the end of the powerplay under revised conditions. Rashid bowled a quiet over as Sri Lanka were 55/1 in 6 overs with Nissanka on 23* off 19 balls and Kusal Mendis on 9* off 8 balls.

England roar back with wickets to peg Sri Lanka back. 

Sam Curran returned as Mendis helped it on its way to deep fine leg for a boundary. Mendis pulled Curran through wide long-on for a boundary. Mendis then took on Curran by launching him over deep square leg for the maximum and then went down the ground for another maximum. The 50-run stand came up between the two players. Adil Rashid continued and provided the breakthrough for England as he picked up Nissanka for 23 off 20 balls with 3 fours and one six to his name as Buttler took the catch off a top edge.

Charith Asalanka came out to bat next. Dawson returned and removed Asalanka for 2 off 5 balls as the slog sweep got the top edge to go to Jacob Bethell at deep midwicket who made no mistake. Dhananjaya de Silva came out to bat next and got off the mark soon. Rashid continued as Mendis swept it to deep backward square leg for a boundary. But Rashid hit back and got rid of Mendis for 37 off 20 balls with 4 fours and 2 sixes to his name as Overton took the catch in the deep.

Janith Liyanage came out to bat next as Sri Lanka were 91/4 in 10 overs with Liyanage on 1* off 1 ball and DDS on 4* off 5 balls.

Sam Curran’s hat-trick amidst a flurry of wickets in the end restricts Sri Lanka to 133 in 16.2 overs. 

Liam Dawson continued as de Silva got a streaky boundary away to the fine leg fence. Dawson then removed Liyanage a few balls later thanks to great usage of DRS as he was not given OUT initially as he fell for 1 off 2 balls. Captain Dasun Shanaka came out to bat next. Rashid continued and got rid of Dhananjaya for 11 off 12 balls with one four to his name as Sam Curran took the catch at square leg as the batter mistimed the sweep shot. Wanindu Hasaranga came out to bat next and got off the mark soon.

The 100 came up for Sri Lanka for the loss of 6 wickets in 12 overs. Dawson continued as Shanaka pummelled him over wide long-on down the ground for the maximum. Overton returned as Hasaranga smashed it away over wide long-off for a boundary. Archer returned to the attack as Shanaka took him on by depositing over cow corner for the maximum.

Curran came to bowl the 16th over and removed Shanaka for 20 off 16 balls with 2 sixes to his name as Brook took a good catch at covers by plucking it out of thin air. Maheesh Theekshana came out to bat next and was dismissed first ball by Curran as Overton took an easy catch at long-on. Curran had two in two balls. Matheesha Pathirana came out to bat next and was cleaned up for a golden duck through a yorker as Curran completed a memorable hat-trick. Eshan Malinga came out to bat next.

Jamie Overton came to bowl the final over as Hasaranga slammed him by lofting over mid-off for a boundary. But the bowler hit back by cleaning up Hasaranga as the leg stick was uprooted falling for 14 off 12 balls with 2 fours to his name as Sri Lanka were bowled out for 133 in 16.2 overs. Malinga remained unbeaten on 0 off 0 balls. 9 extras given by England bowlers.

The England bowlers bowled really well out there. Adil Rashid was the pick of the bowlers with figures of 3/19 in 4 overs. Sam Curran the hat-trick hero finished with 3/38 in 3 overs. Jamie Overton finished with 2/17 in 2.2 overs. Liam Dawson chipped in with 2/31 in 4 overs. Jofra Archer finished with 0/22 in 3 overs. This meant England’s target was 134 runs in 17 overs to take a 1-0 lead in the 3-match T20I series.

Who’s Winning, Sri Lanka or England? 

England have done well in the backend overs after Sri Lanka started well and looked good for more. But the end overs from Sam Curran who picked up a hat-trick and Adil Rashid who picked up 3 wickets as well meant that England restricted the hosts to a mere 133 runs. It is England who hold the advantage at this stage and with a powerful batting line-up, they should chase this down. Can Sri Lanka spring a surprise?

Find out as the chase will be fascinating to say the least.

Also Read: SL vs ENG: England & Sri Lanka Face-Off In Final Preparation Ahead Of T20 WC 2026