KANDY, Sri Lanka—England delivered a commanding performance to launch their T20 World Cup Super Eights campaign, demolishing Sri Lanka for a paltry 95 runs to secure a decisive 51-run victory on Sunday. The win served as a perfect birthday gift for captain Harry Brook, who celebrated his 27th birthday amidst the triumph.
After being put in to bat first, England posted a seemingly modest total of 146-9. However, their bowling attack, spearheaded by a ferocious power play performance, rendered the target insurmountable. Jofra Archer and Will Jacks orchestrated a top-order collapse, reducing Sri Lanka to a devastating 34-5 within the first six overs. The early blitz effectively decided the contest, leaving the hosts’ innings in ruins.
Archer’s searing pace accounted for both openers, including the dismissal of the in-form Pathum Nissanka for just 9 runs. Jacks, later named Player of the Match for the third time this tournament, delivered a critical spell of 3-22, narrowly missing a hat-trick. Sri Lankan captain Dasun Shanaka mounted a lone resistance with a brisk 30 off 24 balls, but his dismissal to Adil Rashid extinguished any fleeting hope of recovery.
The victory was set up by Phil Salt’s anchoring 62 at the top of England’s order. Despite the challenging, rain-affected pitch in Kandy, Salt’s 40-ball innings, featuring six fours and two sixes, provided the backbone of England’s total. Sri Lanka’s bowling, led by left-arm spinner Dunith Wellalage (3-26), managed to restrict the middle order, with Jacks’ 21 being the only other notable contribution.
The comprehensive margin of victory provides England with a significant net run rate advantage in a group stage where weather interruptions, like the washed-out New Zealand-Pakistan match, could prove decisive. The result also extends England’s dominant streak to 12 consecutive wins against Sri Lanka.