Pavan Rathnayake played an enterprising innings coming in at Number 4 while the top three got starts of 30s and Charith Asalanka’s 28 that has enabled Sri Lanka to get to 189/5 in 20 overs. Pavan Rathnayake looked good from the outset and pushed the score close to 190 in the end overs. The others chipped in really well as Sri Lanka could have got past 200 after what they were in after 10 overs.
England bowled well with Jofra Archer picking up 2 wickets while the spinners of Adil Rashid, Liam Dawson, and Will Jacks bowled exceptionally well to tie Sri Lanka down in the middle phase of the game. Sri Lanka have got runs on the board in a must-win game but England with their batting will fancy chasing this target down.
Pathum Nissanka’s quickfire cameo gives Sri Lanka a solid start in powerplay
Put into bat first, Pathum Nissanka and Kamil Mishara came out to open the batting for Sri Lanka while Sam Curran had ball in hand for England. Nissanka was off and running and he got a streaky boundary away past keeper and to the third man fence and then swept him down on one knee to the fine leg fence. Nissanka then slapped the ball towards backward point for a boundary one bounce and over the ropes.
Jofra Archer had ball in hand from the other end as Nissanka picked it up and deposited him over square leg with a flick for the maximum. Archer gifted 5 wides as a bonus to the batting side as he lost his radar there. Mishara joined in the fun as he picked it up and flicked over midwicket for the maximum. Will Jacks came into the attack next and bowled a quiet over.
Liam Dawson came to the attack next as Mishara crunched him away through point for a boundary. Jacks continued as Nissanka hammered him away by sweeping over square leg for the maximum. Archer came back into the attack to bowl the final over of powerplay as the 50 was raised and of the partnership as well. Archer then got the breakthrough for England as he removed Nissanka for 34 off 22 balls with 3 fours and 2 sixes to his name as he dragged it back onto the stumps.
Kusal Mendis came out to bat next at 3. He got off the mark as well. At the end of 6 overs of powerplay, Sri Lanka were 58/1 with Mishara unbeaten on 15 off 12 balls while Kusal Mendis was with him unbeaten on 1 off 2 balls.
England roar back with quick wickets to peg Sri Lanka back in middle overs
Adil Rashid came into the attack after the powerplay. Kusal Mendis took him on by hitting him for consecutive boundaries through sweep shot through midwicket and then again in the gap between midwicket and mid-on. Liam Dawson came back into the attack as Mishara nailed the slog sweep and tonked it over midwicket for the maximum. Kusal then helped it on its way to sweep it behind the leg side for a boundary.
Jamie Overton came into the attack next. Mishara sliced him away for a boundary to the deep third man fence. Adil Rashid continued as England burnt a review against Mishara for LBW as the ball pitched outside the leg stump. Mendis then thrashed Rashid for a boundary by pulling the short ball through deep midwicket region for a boundary. The 100 came up for Sri Lanka in 10 overs as the Lankans were 102/1 in 10 overs at the halfway stage of the game as players paused for Drinks.
Will Jacks returned after the break and got the breakthrough for England as he removed Mishara for 36 off 30 balls with 2 fours and 2 sixes to his name as he chipped it straight to the deep midwicket fielder Overton. Pavan Rathnayake came out to bat next. Overton returned to the attack as Kusal pulled him away hard over midwicket for the maximum.Pavan Rathnayake took him on as he got the top edge that went over long leg for the maximum. Pavan Rathnayake then swatted the short ball away in front of midwicket for a boundary. Rathnayake got a life as Tom Banton put him down at short third man off Overton.
Dawson came back into the attack and removed Kusal Mendis for 32 off 17 balls with 4 fours and one six to his name as he went for the sweep and got a top edge to Adil Rashid at short fine leg who made no mistake. Captain Dasun Shanaka came out to bat next. He got off the mark soon. Rashid returned to the bowling crease and removed Shanaka LBW for 1 off 6 balls as Shanaka burnt a review for his side as well in hope. Charith Asalanka came out to bat next.
Will Jacks continued as Pavan Rathnayake picked up a fortunate boundary with an inside edge past Buttler’s legs for a boundary to deep fine leg. Sri Lanka reached 139/4 in 15 overs with Pavan Rathnayake unbeaten on 21 off 10 balls alongside Charith Asalanka batting unbeaten on 2 off 5 balls as England came back in the middle phase of the game to keep the match in the balance now.
Late order flourish takes Sri Lanka to 189/5 in 20 overs.Â
Adil Rashid continued as England burnt a review for LBW against Asalanka as England ran out of reviews. Rashid bowled a good 16th over. Jofra Archer came back into the attack as Asalanka took him on by hitting Archer for consecutive boundaries first through mid-off and then backed away to cut it between deep point and deep third man for a boundary. Asalanka completed a hat-trick of boundaries by dabbing it late between the keeper and short third for another boundary.
Liam Dawson came to bowl his final over as Rathnayake rocked back and pulled it away through deep midwicket and long-on for a boundary. Sam Curran came to bowl the 19th over as Asalanka showed innovation by getting down on one knee and scooping it over fine leg over the keeper for a boundary. Rathnayake played another ramp shot over a low full toss by shuffling across and over the keeper’s head for a boundary. Rathnayake hit another boundary by driving the low full toss to left of mid-off for a boundary.
Archer came to bowl the final over of the innings. Asalanka was put down by Banton at backward square leg. But Archer removed Rathnayake for 40 off 22 balls with 5 fours and one six to his name as he swung hard to deep midwicket where Jacob Bethell took the catch. Janith Liyanage came out to bat next and got off the mark. Sri Lanka ended with 189/5 in 20 overs with Asalanka unbeaten on 28 off 22 balls with 4 fours to his name while Liyanage was unbeaten on 1 off 1 ball. 17 extras given by the fielding side.
Jofra Archer was expensive but picked up 2/42 in 4 overs. Will Jacks bowled well for his 1/24 in 4 overs. Adil Rashid bowled great for his 1/25 in 4 overs. Liam Dawson finished with 1/32 in 4 overs. Sam Curran gave away 31 runs in 2 overs. Jamie Overton gave away 30 runs in 2 overs. This meant England now need 190 runs to win off 20 overs to seal the series 2-0 with one game to spare.
Who’s Winning, Sri Lanka or England?Â
Sri Lanka have done well to get close to 190 as they finish with 189/5 in 20 overs. But at halfway stage, they should have gotten to 200+. We feel Sri Lanka have a good total but at the moment they are 10-20 runs short in our view as England have a destructive batting line-up. Sri Lanka needs early wickets to make a match out of this. England slightly ahead in the interval.
Let’s see how the chase unfolds in Pallekele.
Also Read: SL vs ENG: Sam Curran’s Hattrick Steers England To Win