David Willey of England celebrates taking the wicket of Danushka Gunathilaka of Sri Lanka during the third T20 International cricket match between England and Sri Lanka at The Ageas Bowl in Southampton, England, Saturday, June 26
England made a clean sweep of the T20I series against Sri Lanka with an impressive 89-run win at the Rose Bowl on Saturday.
David Malan returned to form with a 48-ball 76 after a single-figure score in consecutive wins in Cardiff. With just one half-century in his last seven innings, the world’s No. 1 ranked T20 batsman slammed an innings of five fours and four sixes after being promoted to open the batting.
Jason RoyTight hamstrings led to a change in batting and Malan and Jonny Bairstow, who scored 51 runs in 43 balls, scored 105 runs in 11.4 overs, before mismantha chimeraA career-best 4-17 restricted England to 180-6.
Sri Lanka were eventually all out for 91 in 18.5 overs and lost the series 3–0.
Having been a recurring theme of the series, Sri Lanka lacked scoring options and England were collectively excellent with the ball, David Willey taking 3-27 while fellow left-hander Sam Curran took two wickets.
Sri Lanka started the day by winning the toss for the third time and this time elected to field and handed it over to Bairstow and Malan.
Malan was tossed to the floor attempting a quick single by Binura Fernando and when there were no crosswords between them, the England batsman smashed the left-arm seamer with his toes for the first six.
Isuru Udana had a forgotten introduction, sending England four wides in a 10-ball over as England scored 48 runs in the powerplay, with Bairstow mixing a few agricultural strokes with a more authoritative drive.
Bairstow scored a 41-ball fifty before playing around Udana’s yorker and Sri Lanka had a late breakthrough in the 12th over, but Malan completed his half-century in just 30 balls, his 12th 50-plus score in only 27 T20Is. was. shift.
Malan dismissed Wanindu Hasaranga for two big sixes on the leg-side in the 15th over, scoring 18 runs, but from a position of 143–1, England lost five wickets in 23 legal balls as the total considered more than 200. gone missing.
It was a masterclass in Chamira’s death bowling as she altered her pace and length to trap several England batsmen in a mini-collapse, but the target of 181 was always challenging for the team that made 129 and 111 at Sophia Gardens. was. Sri Lanka barely got the boundary.
While Danushka Gunathilaka coaxed North’s first ball through cover for four, David Willey took his revenge soon after when Malan took a lead at second slip.
Chris Woakes took his first T20 wicket since November 2015 to rest Mark Wood Kusal PereraThe leading lead was taken by Liam Livingstone, who ran from deep midwicket to take a low, diving catch. Sri Lanka won 29-3 in the fifth over Kusal Mendis Willie was temporarily kicked out.
From the last ball, Mendis deposited Willie over the rope, while Oshada Fernando did the same for Jordan, but it was a frantic stay from Sri Lanka’s No. 3, who was eventually driven out of his misery for 19 off 27 balls. Was kicked out when there was a leading edge. Curran looped the alley.
Dasun Shanaka Billings at long-on was run out after a smart pick up and flat throw, with this leg written on the wall in the afternoon sun.
They avoided setting a new benchmark for the lowest T20I score in their history – that was 82 against India in February 2016 – but any hope of a surprise win was long missing.
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