England Cricket Team vs Sri Lanka National Cricket Team Match Scorecard: Left-arm spinner Dunith Wellalage returned 3 for 26 as Sri Lanka produced a disciplined bowling effort to restrict England to 146 for 9 in a Super Eights fixture of the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup on Sunday.
Phil Salt top-scored with 62 off 40 balls, but England’s batters struggled for fluency throughout the innings after Sri Lanka won the toss and opted to bowl.
Sri Lanka struck early to leave England at 37-2 at the end of the powerplay on a surface that offered some assistance to the bowlers. England slipped further to 68-4 at the halfway mark as Wellalage removed both Jos Buttler and Brook in a decisive spell.
Buttler’s lean run in the tournament continued when he was trapped leg before wicket for 7 off 14 balls while attempting a reverse sweep. Brook made 14 off seven deliveries before misjudging a slower delivery from Wellalage that drifted in and struck him on the pads.
Sri Lanka captain Dasun Shanaka introduced Wellalage inside the powerplay, a move that paid immediate dividends given Buttler’s recent struggles against spin.
Maheesh Theekshana supported well with 2-21 in four overs. He dismissed Jacob Bethell, who edged to Dilshan Madushanka at third man. Madushanka, economical with the new ball, finished with 2-25 from four overs.
Tom Banton was run out for 6 after setting off for a risky single, while Sam Curran was caught in the deep off Dushmantha Chameera.
Salt, who survived the powerplay for the first time in the tournament, struck a six over extra cover off Wellalage and another over fine leg against Chameera. He reached his half-century in 36 balls but fell attempting to clear long-off against Wellalage, triggering another slide in the innings.
England failed to recover in the closing overs and finished on 146-9 from its 20 overs.
Scorecard: England 146-9 in 20 overs (Phil Salt 62; Dunith Wellalage 3-26, Maheesh Theekshana 2-21, Dilshan Madushanka 2-25).
