By Alam Zeb Safi
PALLEKELE, Sri Lanka: All-rounder Will Jacks struck a brisk cameo and then ripped through the middle order with three wickets as England crushed Sri Lanka by 51 runs in their Super Eights Group 2 clash at the Pallekele International Cricket Stadium on Sunday.
Defending a modest 146 for nine in the encounter of the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup, England bundled out Sri Lanka for 95 in 16.4 overs to secure two crucial points. Jacks, who was named player of the match, returned figures of 3-22 after contributing 21 off 14 balls. Salt anchors England recovery.
Asked to bat first after Sri Lanka captain Dasun Shanaka won the toss, England made a stuttering start. Left-arm spinner Dunith Wellalage removed Jos Buttler leg-before for seven while Maheesh Theekshana struck to dismiss Jacob Bethell cheaply as England slipped to 32 for two inside the powerplay.
Opener Phil Salt steadied the innings with a fluent 62 off 40 balls, mixing six fours and two sixes to ensure England maintain momentum on a surface offering grip for the spinners. Wellalage (3-26) was the standout bowler for Sri Lanka, trapping Harry Brook lbw after a review and later accounting for Salt while Theekshana’s tight spell (2-21) kept England in check through the middle overs.
Jacks injected late impetus with four boundaries in his 14-ball 21 before falling in the penultimate over. England closed on 146 for nine, a total that looked competitive but not imposing.
Sri Lanka collapsed under pressure. Any hopes Sri Lanka had of chasing 147 were quickly extinguished by England’s new-ball attack. Fast bowler Jofra Archer removed Pathum Nissanka and Kamil Mishara in a probing opening spell, reducing the hosts to 22 for four inside five overs.
Jacks then turned the game decisively, dismissing Kusal Mendis and Wellalage in successive overs before adding another scalp to leave Sri Lanka reeling at 34 for five at the end of the powerplay. Shanaka briefly counterattacked with a 24-ball 30, striking two sixes to revive faint hopes but spinner Adil Rashid produced a miserly spell of 2-13, including the key wicket of the captain via a relay catch on the boundary.
Left-arm spinner Liam Dawson chipped in with two wickets as Sri Lanka folded meekly, their innings undone by poor shot selection and England’s disciplined bowling.
Sri Lanka’s 95 was their lowest total of the tournament with five wickets lost inside the powerplay effectively sealing their fate. England, who remained unchanged for the contest, now sit firmly in contention for a semi-final berth while Sri Lanka face an uphill task to keep their campaign alive.
Summarised Scores:
England 146/9 (20 overs) Phil Salt, 62 (40), Will Jacks, 21 (14), Harry Brook, 14 (7), Jamie Overton, 10* (10),
Dunith Wellalage 3/26, Maheesh Theekshana, 2/21, Dilshan Madushanka 2/25,
Sri Lanka 95 all out (16.4 overs) Dasun Shanaka 30 (24), Kamindu Mendis 13 (11), Maheesh Theekshana 10* (8), Will Jacks, 3/22, Adil Rashid 2/13, Liam Dawson 2/27, Jofra Archer 2/20
Result: England won by 51 runs.
Player of the Match: Will Jacks
