T20 World Cup exit beckons for Sri Lanka after defeat to England

Buttler ton leads English fightback

By Champika Fernando in Sharjah   

Sri Lanka let a hard earned early advantage slip, handing England an epic win and a semi-final spot with their fourth straight win in the Super 12s stage of the T20 World Cup here at the Sharjah Cricket ground last night.  
After the Sri Lankan bowlers had frustrated the batters with a mesmerising bowling effort in the first half of England’s batting, reducing them to 47/3, England, led by Jos Buttler, produced one of the greatest counter attacks to prove why they are considered one of the favourites to clinch the title this time around to give them a defendable total.  

After their batters had set the platform, scoring 163 runs for loss of four wickets, their famed bowling attack led by leg-spinner Adil Rashid (2/19) and Moeen Ali (2/15) pegged Sri Lanka back despite bowling looking extremely tough with dew coming into play.  

The defeat left Sri Lanka almost set to leave the World Cup at the end of the first round, even if they win their last game against West Indies on November 4th in Abu Dhabi unless Australia and South Africa lose their remaining games.  

After their batters had set the platform, scoring 163 runs for loss of four wickets, their famed bowling attack led by leg-spinner Adil Rashid (2/19) and Moeen Ali (2/15) pegged Sri Lanka back despite bowling looking extremely tough with dew coming into play

In form Charith Asalanka (21) and Bhanuka Rajapaksa (26) played well after Pathum Nissanka, who hit a career-best 72 against South Africa, ran himself out trying to steal a run in the third ball of the run chase and Kusal Perera continued his awful form offering Rashid his first wicket skiing it to extra-cover.  

Sri Lanka scored 66 runs for the loss of four wickets in the first ten overs, needing 98 to win in the next half of their innings. Skipper Dasun Shanaka and Wanindu Hasaranga kept Sri Lanka in the hunt briefly, sharing 55 runs for the sixth wicket, but once they were dismissed in the space of four deliveries, the writing was on the wall. Hasaranga (34) top scored for Sri Lanka but by trying to press the accelerator, he offered to catch to wide long-on where Jason Roy ran to his left and took the catch before flicking to Sam Billings who was coming over from cover sweeper.  

Shanaka, who was the only hope Sri Lanka had in chasing the total with 34 required off the last 17 balls, ran himself out, hitting the final nail in their coffin.  

After putting England to bat first, Sri Lanka did everything right in the field, containing the free scoring batters with excellent bowling effort during the first half of England’s innings.  

They collected 36 runs off the power play overs, losing three wickets, that of Jason Roy, Dawid Malan and Jonny Bairstow cheaply as Sri Lanka skipper employed his best bowlers to put Englishmen under tremendous pressure.  
If the first six overs were good, the next four were magical, as they conceded just 11 runs as England were restricted to 47 runs in the halfway mark of their innings as batters struggled either to find the boundary or to rotate the strike against some disciplined bowling effort.  

Wanindu Hasaranga, the leg-spinner, bamboozled Jason Roy with his second delivery of the match castling his middle stump when the batter attempted to sweep, after Sri Lanka skipper brought in his strike bowler as early as the second over of the match.  

Dushmantha Chameera removed Dawid Malan with a low stump rattler when Malan attempted to punch though the covers but was beaten on the inside edge to the stumps. Bairstow was sent back to the dressing first ball when Hasaranga trapped him leg-before as England slipped to 35 for 3.  

It was then the rebuilding time for the Englishmen as they approached the next four overs with caution, giving enough respect to the pumped up Sri Lankan attack, before setting the track on fire with some clean hits all around the ground taking them to a formidable total.  

Their total of 163 was built on another masterclass from Jos Buttler, who followed up his unbeaten 71 against Australia with a maiden hundred to remain unbeaten on 101.  

The swashbuckling batter who passed 200 runs during the innings in the ongoing World Cup was involved in an incredible 112-run partnership with captain Eoin Morgan for the fourth wicket before Hasaranga picked his third scalp of the match by castling Morgan with a googly when Morgan attempted to slog sweep him. Morgan was Hasaranga’s 50th T20 international wicket.  

It was probably the most uniquely constructed partnership, leaving it late to unleash their furry when Sri Lankan bowlers had done enough to contain them. Buttler ruthlessly dealt the Sri Lankan seamers as the spin duo of Hasaranga and Maheesh Theekshana (none for 13 in 4 overs) bowled tightly, making it hard even for Buttler and Morgan pair to free their arms.  

Lahiru Kumara who has given away just 22 runs off his first three overs were hammered for 22 runs off his fourth over, including three sixes, two from Buttler and one from Morgan to finish with none for 44.  
Chameera conceded 43 while skipper Shanaka was smashed for 19 runs in his second over, including two sixes and a boundary hit by Buttler as England scored 58 runs off the last five overs for the loss of Eoin Morgan’s wicket.  

The wicket-keeper batter needed 13 runs to reach his maiden century and he did that in style off the last ball of their innings sending a low full toss from Chameera over the deep cover ropes to end his onslaught.  
His unbeaten 101 included six sixes and as many boundaries while Morgan importantly found his form, adding 40 runs to the score with three sixes and a boundary.