🏏ICC Men's T20 World Cup 2026: Super 8 - M42: England vs Sri Lanka🏏 - Page 5

England 37 for 2 in the power play.

Sl did well to contain them for just 37 runs.

Already England will be calibrating their target score here. 180 is still on, though that wasn't enough for Australia on this pitch last week. Seems a tougher surface now after the rain though

Josh : "The more balls that Sri Lanka can bowl at Buttler in the powerplay the better it is for them….. never thought I'd be writing that " He's back on strike...

Dave Fern : "Was hoping to see a marked improvement from England from the group stages to the Super Eights, but this start has shown no improvement at all! Settle down lads, get a decent score on the board."

7.5W

Chameera to Banton, OUT

inswinging yorker, Banton taps it to mid-off and sets off for the suicide single! Shanaka gathered perfectly as the bounce popped straight into his hands, and even with a despairing dive, he was well short! The pressure is building fast!

Tom Banton run out (Shanaka) 6 (7b 0x4 0x6) SR: 85.71

AHM: "Is this pitch a bit two paced/sticky after all that rain ?" That does seem probable, to judge by that last ball!

9.6W

Wellalage to Brook, OUT

tossed up slower, fuller, loopier, thuds the pad! Wonderful teasing bowling, and up goes the finger! Brook reviews, as he must... might it have been missing leg? Not convinced... Umpire's call! The wicket stands. And as marginal decisions go, that was plumb!

Harry Brook lbw b Wellalage 14 (7b 1x4 0x6) SR: 200

tossed up slower, fuller, loopier, thuds the pad! Wonderful teasing bowling, and up goes the finger!

10

2 0 1 4 2 W (9 runs)

ENG 68-4

Harry Brook

14(7)

Phil Salt

37(28)

Dunith Wellalage

3-0-25-2

Luke: "With the results in curling and rugby yesterday and the way the cricket is going today it's not a good time to be an England fan," chirps Luke, before delivering the kicker. "Luckily I'm not one myself."

Madhav: "England's aggressive template works when pitches are flat, but on a gripping surface like this, game awareness matters more than intent. Sri Lanka have simply read conditions better -- smarter bowling changes, better lengths, and scoreboard pressure already building. This is proper tournament cricket, not bilateral chaos." Tbf, it also looks like a good toss to win - given you'd assume it'll skid on more as we get into the evening. But SL have been right on it.

England 77-4 after 9 overs

12.31

Hemantha to Salt, 1 run

on the pads, tucked through square leg. Half-century up for Salt, a battling effort from 36 balls. He's found some form at a vital moment - but England will need him to kick on from here

Congratulations for his fifty!

England

(18.2/20 ov) 131/7

Sri Lanka

Sri Lanka chose to field.

Current RR: 7.14

• Last 5 ov (RR): 37/3 (7.40)

Live Forecast: ENG 147

Lakwin: "SL have played ENG 6 times in a World Cup, and won just... one. In 2012. A guy named Malinga was man of the match with 5/31. SL eventually came to the final - Dilshan was man of the series. I have a feeling today will be the 2nd win for SL." Coincidentally or otherwise, TV cameras have just cut to Malinga, a consultant on the SL coaching team these days, prowling the boundary with words of advice for his charges

Here's Musharraf: "Correcting Lakwin's comment... SL have beaten ENG only once in 6 T20 WORLD CUP encounters. Let's not forget the massive upset that happened in the 2019 ODI WC when SL thrashed eventual World Cup winners, England." Yes, SL have beaten England plenty of times at 50-over WCs

Three overs to come. England would love to get 40 more from here. SL hoping to keep them under 150

Such a low score from england..