Player of the Match
Player of the Match

Match Centre

Statistics

Best performances - Batsmen

T Banton
T Banton
54(33) 4x4 - 3x6
Control %80%
  • Productive Shot
  • cover drive
  • 16 runs
  • 2x4 - 1x6
8 0 1 8 13 5 7 12
P Rathnayake
40(22) 5x4 - 1x6
Control %78%
  • Productive Shot
  • pull
  • 14 runs
  • 2x4 - 1x6
1 8 8 4 4 2 0 13

Best performances - Bowlers

JC Archer
JC Archer
O4
M0
R42
W2
Eco10.5
RHB
OFFLEG
2W
  • FTFULL TOSS
  • YYORKER
  • FFULL LENGTH
  • GGOOD LENGTH
  • SGSHORT OF GOOD LENGTH
  • SSHORT LENGTH
LHB
LEGOFF
M Pathirana
O4
M0
R47
W2
Eco11.75
RHB
OFFLEG
1W
1W
  • FTFULL TOSS
  • YYORKER
  • FFULL LENGTH
  • GGOOD LENGTH
  • SGSHORT OF GOOD LENGTH
  • SSHORT LENGTH
LHB
LEGOFF

Match Details

Toss

England , elected to field first

Player Of The Match

Series result

England led the 3-match series 2-0

Match number

Season

Hours of play (local time)

19.00 start, First Session 19.00-20.30, Interval 20.30-20.50, Second Session 20.50-22.20

Match days

1 February 2026 - night match (20-over match)

TV Umpires

Reserve Umpire

Match Referee

Scorer: Sudeep Poojar | Commentator: Andrew Miller

11.48pm So, that's a wrap from Pallekele. Another entertaining contest, and another quiet statement of intent from an England team that, on this showing, few sides will want to encounter at the T20 World Cup next week. From Miller, Alan, and Sudeep, good night!

Time for the presentations

Tom Banton is Player of the Match: "Most of my career is opening. New role with England is exciting. Had to assess with spinners getting grip. I just want to play all formats. On wickets like this, with a bit of hold and turn, being able to sweep the ball is essential. Came here to win the series and we've done that."

Dasun Shanaka: "We did a lot of things right. It's not the rain... Eshan got injured and he's a good death bowler. Rathnayake was impressive... every batsman got starts. We couldn't capitalise for a few overs. Adil Rashid bowled well. We could have respected him more. We played in spin tracks, it's our home advantage. But teams playing here getting used to playing with spin. Outside the country is totally different."

Harry Brook: "We played outstanding, adapted to the conditions with the bat, to get over the line is awesome. More time in the middle, stands us in good stead, the way Bantz played there was awesome. Spinners have been awesome. Mop up in the middle and have the skill to bowl in the powerplay. Still had Will Jacks to come, we've plenty batting, back ourselves every time there."

11.35pm Well, that was a telling performance from England. They were up against it initially, as Sri Lanka romped to 102 for 1 in ten overs after being inserted. But after their spinners had clawed the game back, their batters let rip after an opportune rain break. Tom Banton was the mainstay with his first T20I fifty in four years, while Harry Brook's 300-strike-rate 36 was the fuel in their acceleration. Curran continued his fine run with the bat to close the game in style. Sri Lanka failed to locate their lengths, and paid the price with two balls to spare, but significantly more than that between the teams.

16.4
6
Liyanage to Curran, SIX, slammed mightily over wide long-on! That's a dismissive way to end the argument! Curran picks up the length ball on the fourth-stump line, and England march to a very impressive 2-0 series win!

1 from 4... it was a decade ago that Bangladesh struggled at this juncture...!

16.3
0
Liyanage to Curran, no run, clobbered hard, back through the line, good grab by the bowler

Scores level

16.2
2
Liyanage to Curran, 2 runs, round the wicket, tapped off the pads to mid-on, good hurtling for the second run, though it's mighty close, and it might have been out had Liyanage not fumbled as he gathered
16.1
0
Liyanage to Curran, no run, slow bouncer, good option. Hops past the shoulder as Curran opts against playing a stroke. A dot!

END OF OVER:
16 | 8 Runs | ENG: 165/4 (3 runs required from 6 balls, RR: 10.31, RRR: 3.00)

  • Sam Curran12 (10b)
  • Tom Banton54 (33b)
  • Matheesha Pathirana4-0-47-2
  • Dasun Shanaka3-0-24-1
15.6
1
Pathirana to Curran, 1 run, soft hands on the back foot, deflecting the good length to backward point. They jog the single and it'll be three needed from the final over
15.5
1
Pathirana to Banton, 1 run, full length, fourth-stump line, guided with an open face to deep third

England 2nd innings Partnerships

WktRunsPlayers
1st10JC ButtlerPD Salt
2nd28JC ButtlerJG Bethell
3rd43JC ButtlerT Banton
4th49T BantonHC Brook
5th43SM CurranT Banton