Pathum Nissanka hits down the ground during his knock of 37
Player of the Match Liam Dawson took two in two balls
Tom Banton launches during his half century off 24 balls
- Second T20 International
CARDIFF: England extended their dominance over Sri Lanka in the T20I format by scripting a comfortable six-wicket win in the second T20I played at Sophia Gardens here on Thursday to take an unassailable 2-0 lead in the 3-match series.
Despite Sri Lanka enjoying an enterprising start with the bat after losing the toss, Liam Dawson and Jamie Overton combined to run through the Sri Lankan batting, with England romping home with nearly eight overs to spare. It was England’s 22nd win in the last 25 T20I matches.
The start promised much more for Sri Lanka than the 146-9 they eventually ended up with. Pathum Nissanka in particular was at his aggressive best, striking three boundaries off Jofra Archer’s first over before Lahiru Udara, who was scored 1 off 9 balls at one stage, also caught on. The boundaries flowed regularly and Sri Lanka raced to 50 halfway through the fifth over as the opening pair put 56 off 33 balls.
It was Dawson’s introduction in the final Powerplay over that changed the equation significantly. The left-arm spinner struck off successive deliveries to break the game open, slowing Sri Lanka’s scoring rate down in the process. It eventually led to Nissanka’s dismissal for 37 off 21 balls (4 fours, 1 six), as the opener flat-batted a slower delivery from Overton to mid-on. Overton struck again, cramping Kamindu Mendis for room on the late cut to bowl him, before Dawson removed Dasun Shanaka to leave the visitors in trouble at 95-5.
A 44-run partnership off 34 balls between skipper Charith Asalanka (31) and Wanindu Hasaranga (27) put the innings back on track. Ironically, it was Dawson who bore the brunt of it as his final over went for 18 and Sri Lanka suddenly had their eyes set on a score around the 170-mark. But things came apart dramatically in the final three overs – Harry Brook’s move to throw the ball to Adil Rashid paid off as the wrist-spinner induced a false shot off Asalanka. Sonny Baker then produced a stupendous 19th over, sending down a wicket maiden as he dismissed Hasaranga before Archer’s double-strike in the last over meant that Sri Lanka lost four wickets for just seven runs.
England picked up from where they left off with the bat in Southampton. Like Sri Lanka, they too got past fifty halfway through the fifth over as Aneurin Donald took on Dushmantha Chameera, before Jos Buttler reeled four boundaries off a Dilshan Madushanka over, shortly after which he became the first batter to register 15,000 T20 runs. Both openers fell in quick succession inside the Powerplay as Eshan Malinga deceived Donald (21) with a slower one and Chameera bounced Buttler out for 30.
England were in no mood to slow down though as Brook smashed Hasaranga for three sixes in an over. He fell to an outstanding Eshan Malinga catch at deep square leg in an attempt to hit a fourth, but Banton took over to see England home smashing Malinga for consecutive sixes as he got to his fastest T20I fifty off 24 balls.
The third and final T20I will take place at Old Trafford, Manchester today.
Scores:
Sri Lanka 145-9 (20) (Pathum Nissanka 37, Lahiru Udara 21, Charith Asalanka 31, Wanindu Hasaranga 27, Jofra Archer 2/34, Liam Dawson 3/32, Jamie Overton 2/23) lost to England 146-4 (12.1) (Jos Buttler 30, Aneurin Donald 21, Harry Brook 23, Tom Banton 52*, Dushmantha Chameera 1/29)
