Kandy, January 31, 2026 – England defeated Sri Lanka by 11 runs via the DLS method in a rain-affected first T20I at Kandy, taking a 1-0 lead in the series. The match, heavily interrupted by rain, saw England dominate with both bat and ball, despite the wet conditions forcing a delayed indoor presentation ceremony.
England captain Harry Brook praised his team’s performance, saying, “The execution was on point tonight and we stuck to our guns with the ball, even when the opposition batters got off to a flying start.” Brook also highlighted Sam Curran’s hat-trick, Adil Rashid’s mastery, and Phil Salt’s explosive batting in the Powerplay, noting that the team is focused on building momentum for the upcoming T20 World Cup.
Sri Lanka captain Dasun Shanaka expressed disappointment over his team’s recurring batting collapses, emphasizing the need to take the attack to quality spinners like Rashid and Liam Dawson. “T20 cricket demands proactive options,” Shanaka said, while acknowledging Matheesha Pathirana’s world-class bowling and his team’s positive intent despite the loss.
Adil Rashid was named Player of the Match for his outstanding bowling figures of 4-0-19-3. “It’s nice to get the win. Today it was all about bowling slower and it came off for me,” Rashid said, adding that the team takes one game at a time.
England’s chase was anchored by Phil Salt, who struck a six off the first ball, finishing just shy of a half-century. Tom Banton’s quickfire 29 off 15 balls further eased the chase, leaving England largely untroubled. Rain returned in the final overs with England needing nine runs from 12 balls, but the DLS par score of 123 confirmed their victory.
Sri Lanka had some bright moments with the ball, including strong performances from Pathirana and Eshan Malinga, but spinners Maheesh Theekshana and Wanindu Hasaranga struggled to create chances. Fielding errors and missed opportunities added to their woes ahead of the home T20 World Cup.
The second T20I will take place at Pallekele on Sunday, February 1, starting at 1:30 pm GMT, as England look to maintain momentum and Sri Lanka aim for a strong comeback.