Sri Lanka powered their way to an emphatic eight-wicket triumph over England in Bengaluru during the ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup. They sealed the victory with a remarkable 24.2 overs to spare, dealing a significant blow to England’s hopes of defending their World Cup title.
For England to stay in the race, they now face a steep challenge. They must secure victories in all their remaining matches, dramatically improve their net run rate, and rely on favorable outcomes from other games to reach the coveted semi-finals.
Sri Lanka’s triumph catapults them to fifth place in the tournament standings and extends their perfect record of five consecutive Men’s Cricket World Cup victories over England.
While England faltered in Bengaluru, Sri Lanka showcased an outstanding performance, dismantling the English batting lineup. Key contributors to this success were Maheesh Theekshana, Lahiru Kumara, and Angelo Mathews with their exceptional bowling skills.
Sri Lanka’s chase of a modest target of 157 was powered by the remarkable half-centuries from Pathum Nissanka and Sadeera Samarawickrama, culminating in a match-winning century partnership.
England’s David Willey provided a glimmer of hope with two early wickets, but Nissanka and Samarawickrama’s counterattack secured a convincing victory and significantly boosted Sri Lanka’s net run rate.
At the toss, England skipper Jos Buttler chose to bat first and introduced three changes, bringing in Liam Livingstone, Chris Woakes, and Moeen Ali. However, Sri Lanka, led by Kusal Mendis, made a strong comeback by including Mathews and Kumara in the lineup.
They proceeded to dismantle England’s batting order, limiting them to a paltry 156, marking the lowest all-out total ever recorded in an ODI in Bengaluru.
The trio of Kumara (3/35), Mathews (2/14), and Rajitha (2/36) led the wicket-takers’ chart, while Theekshana’s disciplined bowling stifled England, conceding only 21 runs from his 8.2 overs. Sri Lanka also displayed remarkable fielding, resulting in two run-outs.
Although England’s openers started aggressively, they lost momentum when Dawid Malan fell to Mathews for 28. England suffered another setback as Joe Root was run out for just three, marking the fourth run-out in a Root-Bairstow partnership in international cricket.
England’s hopes waned further as they lost wickets due to mounting pressure from the Sri Lankan bowlers. Bairstow, Buttler, and Liam Livingstone all departed quickly, leaving England dependent on Ben Stokes for a competitive total.
Stokes managed to build a partnership with Moeen Ali, but Ali’s dismissal further dampened England’s prospects. Ben Stokes was the top-scorer with 43 from 73 balls but eventually fell, increasing England’s woes. Adil Rashid and Mark Wood also fell quickly, and England was bowled out for 156 in 33.2 overs.
England’s strong start with the ball, led by David Willey, briefly raised hopes of a close finish. However, Sri Lanka’s Kusal Perara and Kusal Mendis departed early. Despite some resistance from Woakes, England’s new-ball spell fizzled out, and Sri Lanka confidently pursued their target.
Moeen Ali had stressed the importance of scoreboard pressure to aid spinners in Bengaluru, but England couldn’t create such pressure. Samarawickrama finished unbeaten with 65* from 54 balls, while Nissanka sealed the win in style with a massive six, closing with 77* from 83 deliveries.
With this resounding victory, Sri Lanka now has four points and keeps their hopes of reaching the semi-finals alive in the tournament.
