- BATSMENRBM4s6sSR14.2 heaved straight to long-off! Salt runs out of gas. Looked like a short ball that was due to get whacked, but he just didn't have the power to muscle it over the man back, another straightforward take just in from the boundary. SL keeping England pinned to the ropes 106/63.1 awful reverse-hoick! Buttler is nailed on the pad, stump-to-stump line, a fraction of turn from off to middle. He tried something different, but Wellelage was too canny for him. He thinks about a review but in the end troops straight off. That was a troublingly terrible innings 16/15.1 another awful hack, leading edge to short third! Round the wicket from the new bowler, finds a good length, just enough grip on the surface to straighten and take the outside half of the blade as Bethell wound into something expansive. It took a sprawling dive and a bit of a fumble before Madushanka emerged with the ball, but he did so effectively in the end! 32/27.5 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! 49/39.6 tossed up slower, fuller, loopier, thuds the pad! Wonderful teasing bowling, and up goes the finger! Brook planted his front foot but had no clue about the trajectory. 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! 68/413.2 sucker ball, holes out to long-on! Floated out full at 72mph/115kph, inviting the big shot but without providing any gas for him to work with. Legcutter from Chameera, I think. Curran hits through the line but can't get enough on it to clear the man back. Taken comfortably a yard in from the rope. SL tighten their grip 94/518.5 full toss does the job! Jacks jumps out and swings for the hills again but doesn't get the connection as the ball tails across him. Off the toe of the bat and well taken in the deep by Wellalage running to his left from point 135/817.1 charges and skews to cover! Carrom ball, I think, and it grips enough as he swipes across the line. Well held running back beyond the circle. Another partnership in the teens. England seven down and struggling to light the blue touch paper here in Pallekele 124/718.6 full toss does the job MKII! Archer clothes this to the left of mid-off and it's well held on the dive! Two in two to finish a brilliant outing for Madushanka. England in danger of not even batting their 20 overs 135/9Extras5 (lb 2, w 3)TOTAL146/9 (20 Overs, RR: 7.3)Fall of wickets: 1-16 (Jos Buttler, 3.1 ov), 2-32 (Jacob Bethell, 5.1 ov), 3-49 (Tom Banton, 7.5 ov), 4-68 (Harry Brook, 9.6 ov), 5-94 (Sam Curran, 13.2 ov), 6-106 (Phil Salt, 14.2 ov), 7-124 (Liam Dawson, 17.1 ov), 8-135 (Will Jacks, 18.5 ov), 9-135 (Jofra Archer, 18.6 ov)
Bowling O M R W Econ 0s 4s 6s WD NB D Madushanka 4 0 25 2 6.25 12 4 0 0 0 DN Wellalage 4 0 26 3 6.5 11 2 1 0 0 M Theekshana 4 0 21 2 5.25 9 1 0 2 0 MADI Hemantha 4 0 38 0 9.5 4 2 1 0 0 PVD Chameera 4 0 34 1 8.5 9 2 2 1 0
22/02Result
42nd Match, Super Eights, Group 2 (D/N), ICC Men's T20 World Cup at Kandy, Feb 22 2026
-
![England]( "England")
146/9 -
![Sri Lanka]( "Sri Lanka")
95 (16.4/20 ov)
Player of the Match
22/02Result
42nd Match, Super Eights, Group 2 (D/N), ICC Men's T20 World Cup at Kandy, Feb 22 2026
-
![England]( "England")
146/9 -
![Sri Lanka]( "Sri Lanka")
95 (16.4/20 ov)
Player of the Match
- BATSMENRBM4s6sSR2.4 fired in full, flicked straight to deep midwicket! The main man falls to a sucker punch! The man in the deep had literally just been sent out to patrol the rope. Nissanka went for placement over power, but got neither. Overton steadied himself just inside the rope and took it neatly to prise a vital opening! 15/14.5 back of a length, stabbed to gully! Mishara was retreating to leg, pushing through the off-stump line. Overton was stationed on the edge of the ring, an unconventional position but an effective one! Archer sticking to pace on the ball, good carry and gathered low to the ground. A quick check from the umpires but a solid take 22/43.3 pop goes the weasel! Tossed up on a full length, Jacks' overspin grips on the pitch, climbs into the top half of a pokey push, and loops straight back into his hands! Pallekele falls silent... we're in for a scrap here! 20/23.4 toe-ended to deep cover, horror shot! Rathnayake galloped to the pitch, trying to hack Jacks off his length... but just as England's top-order fell to leading edges, so does Sri Lanka's! It's high into the off-side, Banton calls early, tracks back, takes it over his shoulder. Jacks on a hat-trick! 20/35.5 flapped off the full length! Another terrible shot in these increasingly grim circumstances! Wellalage planted his front foot, heaved across the line, the bat turned in his hand as he did so. Brook reached high on the edge of the ring to claw it down at mid-on! 34/58.4 pop goes another weasel! So tame from Mendis, closing the face on the fuller length, trying to work the single after the big stroke. The ball sticks in the pitch, kisses off the leading edge, straight back into Dawson's welcome grasp1 52/614.2 superb on the rope, relayed in by Jacks! Crowd silenced (again) in Pallekele. Heaved off the back foot against the turn but it doesn't have the legs. Taken above his head by Jacks running back, and then he has the self-control and awareness to toss it gently back to Tom Banton before he goes over the rope 82/811.6 Dushan topples himself! Oh dear... he's actually knocked the bails off with his bat! Overton digs in the last ball of an otherwise quiet over and forces the No.8 back towards his stumps. Dushan took it on the arm and body, then absentmindedly wafted his bat behind him to break the wicket. Everything that can go wrong going wrong for SL here 69/715.6 you miss, I hit! Fired down straight, 59mph/94kph and past Chameera's wild heave for the hills. He looks back to see the stumps disturbed and the jig is almost up for SL 94/916.4 bowled through the gate! Sri Lanka's England hoodoo continues! Rashid finishes it with a googly, an appropriate full stop on a befuddled chase that never got going 95/10Extras2 (w 2)TOTAL95 all out (16.4 Overs, RR: 5.7)Fall of wickets: 1-15 (Pathum Nissanka, 2.4 ov), 2-20 (Kusal Mendis, 3.3 ov), 3-20 (Pavan Rathnayake, 3.4 ov), 4-22 (Kamil Mishara, 4.5 ov), 5-34 (Dunith Wellalage, 5.5 ov), 6-52 (Kamindu Mendis, 8.4 ov), 7-69 (Dushan Hemantha, 11.6 ov), 8-82 (Dasun Shanaka, 14.2 ov), 9-94 (Dushmantha Chameera, 15.6 ov), 10-95 (Dilshan Madushanka, 16.4 ov)
Match Details
Toss
Sri Lanka , elected to field first
Player Of The Match
Match number
Season
Hours of play (local time)
15.00 start, First Session 15.00-16.30, Interval 16.30-16.50, Second Session 16.50-18.20
Match days
22 February 2026 - day/night match (20-over match)
Umpires
TV Umpires
Reserve Umpire
Match Referee
Points
England 2, Sri Lanka 0
Match Notes
- Powerplay: Overs 0.1 - 6.0 (Mandatory - 37 runs, 2 wickets)
- Drinks: England - 32/2 in 5.1 overs (PD Salt 22)
- England: 50 runs in 8.1 overs (49 balls), Extras 1
- Over 9.6: Review by England (Batting), Decision Challenged - Wicket, Umpire - AT Holdstock, Batter - HC Brook (Struck down - Umpires Call)
- PD Salt: 50 off 36 balls (5 x 4, 1 x 6)
- Drinks: England - 94/5 in 13.2 overs (PD Salt 52)
- England: 100 runs in 13.6 overs (84 balls), Extras 1
- Over 19.4: Review by Sri Lanka (Bowling), Decision Challenged - Wicket, Umpire - AT Holdstock, Batter - J Overton (Struck down)
- Innings Break: England - 146/9 in 20.0 overs (J Overton 10, AU Rashid 1)
- Powerplay: Overs 0.1 - 6.0 (Mandatory - 34 runs, 5 wickets)
- Drinks: Sri Lanka - 34/5 in 5.5 overs (PHKD Mendis 4)
- Sri Lanka: 50 runs in 8.3 overs (51 balls), Extras 1
- Drinks: Sri Lanka - 81/7 in 14.0 overs (MD Shanaka 30, PVD Chameera 2)
- Over 14.2: Relay Catch: Batter - Dasun Shanaka, Catcher - Tom Banton, Relay Fielder - Will Jacks
Match Coverage
All Match NewsDawson hails 'versatile' England spin attack ahead of Pakistan clash
Combination of Dawson, Rashid and Jacks continues stellar run for English spinners in Pallekele
Will Jacks stars again as England dismantle Sri Lanka
Defending a modest total of 146 after Phil Salt's lone hand, Will Jacks takes three as Sri Lanka are rolled for 95
Sri Lanka took wrong options on 'tricky' pitch - Rathour
Batting consultant reflects on poor display as hosts bowled out for 95 chasing 147
England ride a new route to success
With India losing in Super Eights, tournament feels wide open... all this England side needs to do is keep winning
Brook backs Buttler as England overcome more top-order batting frailties
Opener looks a shadow of dominant self but captain is sure he'll come good when team needs him
Videos
ICC Men's T20 World Cup
| Super Eights, Group 1 | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Team | M | W | L | PT | NRR |
| SA | 3 | 3 | 0 | 6 | 2.259 |
| IND | 3 | 2 | 1 | 4 | 0.106 |
| WI | 3 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 0.993 |
| ZIM | 3 | 0 | 3 | 0 | -3.415 |
| Super Eights, Group 2 | |||||
| Team | M | W | L | PT | NRR |
| ENG | 3 | 3 | 0 | 6 | 1.096 |
| NZ | 3 | 1 | 1 | 3 | 1.39 |
| PAK | 3 | 1 | 1 | 3 | -0.123 |
| SL | 3 | 0 | 3 | 0 | -1.95 |
| Group A | |||||
| Team | M | W | L | PT | NRR |
| IND | 4 | 4 | 0 | 8 | 2.5 |
| PAK | 4 | 3 | 1 | 6 | 0.976 |
| USA | 4 | 2 | 2 | 4 | 0.788 |
| NED | 4 | 1 | 3 | 2 | -1.217 |
| NAM | 4 | 0 | 4 | 0 | -3.108 |
| Group B | |||||
| Team | M | W | L | PT | NRR |
| ZIM | 4 | 3 | 0 | 7 | 1.506 |
| SL | 4 | 3 | 1 | 6 | 1.741 |
| AUS | 4 | 2 | 2 | 4 | 1.523 |
| IRE | 4 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 0.15 |
| OMA | 4 | 0 | 4 | 0 | -4.845 |
| Group C | |||||
| Team | M | W | L | PT | NRR |
| WI | 4 | 4 | 0 | 8 | 1.874 |
| ENG | 4 | 3 | 1 | 6 | 0.201 |
| SCOT | 4 | 1 | 3 | 2 | 0.184 |
| ITA | 4 | 1 | 3 | 2 | -1.02 |
| NEP | 4 | 1 | 3 | 2 | -1.349 |
| Group D | |||||
| Team | M | W | L | PT | NRR |
| SA | 4 | 4 | 0 | 8 | 1.943 |
| NZ | 4 | 3 | 1 | 6 | 1.227 |
| AFG | 4 | 2 | 2 | 4 | 0.889 |
| UAE | 4 | 1 | 3 | 2 | -1.364 |
| CAN | 4 | 0 | 4 | 0 | -2.426 |