In a crucial Group 2 Super 8 game in Pallekele under overcast conditions, Sri Lanka won a good toss and elected to bowl first with moisture on the pitch and Sri Lanka have justified that call by keeping things tight and picking up a couple of wickets inside the powerplay. England are looking tentative and the home side will feel they have their noses in front at this stage.
Sri Lanka strike twice to push England back in the powerplay.Â
Put into bat first, Philip Salt and Jos Buttler came out to open the batting for England while Dilshan Madushanka had ball in hand for Sri Lanka. Madushanka bowled a good first over. Dunith Wellalage had ball in hand from the other end. Salt broke the shackles a little bit by slapping it over wide long-off for the maximum. Madushanka continued and bowled a brilliant over yet again.
Wellalage continued and got rid of Buttler who struggled for his stay in the middle as he went for 7 off 14 balls. Wellalage bowled from around the wicket bowled full and tossed up on off-stump and bowled it slower through the air. Buttler went for the reverse sweep but missed and got pinned on the front pad. Big appeal and the finger went up. Buttler had a chat with his partner and decided not to review and walked off.
Jacob Bethell came out to bat next and got off the mark straightaway. Salt broke the shackles as he hung back and slapped it to deep extra cover for a boundary. Madushanka continued as Salt looked to whip it across the line and got a leading edge that fell short of short third man as the ball beat the fielder and away to the third man fence. Salt then opened the bat face and sliced it away past backward point for a boundary.
Maheesh Theekshana came into the attack to bowl the last over of powerplay and he removed Bethell for 3 off 4 balls. Theekshana bowled from around the wicket a fuller length tossed up delivery on middle stump that gripped in the surface and turned away. Bethell cleared his front leg and went for the heave across the line. He got a top edge that went high in the air and to the right of backward point. Madushanka kept his eyes on the ball and dived to take a fantastic catch. Tom Banton came in next as Drinks was taken at this stage.
Banton got off the mark after the break straightaway. At the end of the powerplay, England are 37/2 in 6 overs with Banton unbeaten on 2 off 2 balls and Salt with him unbeaten on 24 off 16 balls. Sri Lanka had the better of the powerplay.
Tom Banton & Harry Brook falls as Sri Lanka tighten the noose over England.Â
Dushan Hemantha came into the attack after the powerplay. Salt got into the act by sweeping hard to deep square leg for a boundary. Dushmantha Chameera came into the attack next. Another wicket fell for England as Banton fell for 6 off 7 balls while trying for the suicidal run as Dasun Shanaka hit the stumps at the bowler’s end. Captain Harry Brook came out to bat next.
Hemantha continued as Brook got a couple and a direct hit was missed and went away for four gifted runs for England. Wellalage came back for another over as Brook stepped down the track and launched it over the non-striker’s end as the ball beat long-on for a boundary. Wellalage then got the prized scalp of Brook for 14 off 7 balls with one four to his name.
Wellalage bowled an arm ball going straight from the middle stump line and pitched around the good length delivery. Brook was on the front foot and kept his bat close to the front pad and was beaten on the inside edge. The appeal was given. Brook reviewed and umpire’s call on hitting the stumps meant review was retained but he had to go back to the hut. Sam Curran came out to bat next. At the halfway stage of the contest, England were 68/4 in 10 overs with Salt unbeaten on 37 off 28 balls and Sam has just joined him now.
What Lies Ahead.Â
So, England in a spot of bother at 68/4 in 10 overs. Sri Lanka are controlling things here. England needs 160+ to be competitive. Salt will be the key going forward. Let’s see how things pan out in the next 10 overs of the innings.
Also Read:Â ICC T20 WC 2026: Sri Lanka & England Clash With Crucial Points Up For Grabs.