England vs Sri Lanka LIVE: T20 World Cup result and reaction
Follow live reaction after England made it four wins from four at the World Cup
Follow live reaction from England vs Sri Lanka at the T20 World Cup.
England maintained their 100 per cent record in the tournament, having seen off the West Indies, Bangladesh and Australia in a dominant start, with a superb 26-run win in Sharjah.
Opener Jos Buttler was the star of the show last time out against Australia and went one better this time around with an unbeaten 101, a first international T20 century.
Assisted by 40 from skipper Eoin Morgan, England posted 163 from their 20 before two wickets from Moeen Ali, Adil Rashid and Chris Jordan eventually saw Sri Lanka fall 26 runs short despite a dogged chase.
The win leaves England all but into the semi-finals ahead of their final Super 12 match, against South Africa on Saturday.
England vs Sri Lanka: England 44/3 after ninth over
Karunaratne came in for his first bowling duty of the match in the ninth over.
He picked up where his team-mates left off with a dot from the first ball. A single was all Buttler could get from the second and Morgan had the same with the third.
Sri Lanka were convinced Buttler was gone for LBW and they called a review. Buttler remained in as it came down to umpire’s call.
Another single sees out the ninth and underwhelming over for England.
England vs Sri Lanka: England 41/3 after eighth over
Theekshana thought he had Morgan out twice in the eighth over but the captain survived.
While that was a positive for England, Buttler and Morgan were only able to add four singles.
England are yet to impose themselves with the first over the only that has impressed so far.
England vs Sri Lanka: England 37/3 after seventh over
Kumara had a stunning over in the seventh as England were unable to add anything to their tally until the fifth ball with Morgan adding a single.
This is incredible from Sri Lanka so far, they have England rattled and they will need to continue this with the match a must win for them.
England vs Sri Lanka: England 36/3 after sixth over
Captain Morgan was tapped in for Bairstow midway through the sixth over.
Hasaranga continued his great bowling with England just collecting two singles.
England are under pressure for the first time in the T20 World Cup so it will be interesting to see how they handle this now.
England vs Sri Lanka: Bairstow out
Bairstow is now in with Buttler for the sixth over and Hasaranga comes back to bowl.
He has been their stand out bowler so far and he started well with England just getting a single. The officials reviewed LBW for Bairstow which resulted in a few nervous minutes for England.
And it was the worst decision for England as Bairstow is out with no runs! Hasaranga is having a fabulous match, his second wicket so far.
England vs Sri Lanka: 34/2 after fifth over as Malan falls
Chameera is back for the fifth over and will be hoping he does better from the first.
Buttler handles the first two balls well with two scoops. But Sri Lanka read the play on the second ball to stop England at just a single. Malan got his fifth delivery of the match and it was a great strike, a clean and powerful hit from the stumps gifts him four.
Malan couldn’t replicate the score with another ball aimed his way with a dot. Chameera looked convinced he had Malan out but the catch didn’t come off but then the bowler has reason to celebrate as he claimed a wicket.
Malan out for 6 from 9 balls, Sri Lanka now have two wickets after the fifth over!
England vs Sri Lanka: England 29/1 after the fourth over
Spin bowler Theekshana in charge of the fourth over and he starts it well with Buttler just getting a single from the first ball.
He continued well with England getting nothing from the second or third. Sri Lanka kept their dominance in the over with the final three balls only getting England three singles.
A few wides from Theekshana the only blunders from the bowler.
This over has taken Buttler to 2,000 T20 runs.
England vs Sri Lanka: England 25/1 after third over
Buttler has a great shot with the ball smacking the boundary for four.
Kumara yet to undo Buttler as he hits another four. Sri Lanka will want to get rid of Buttler as soon as they can after that spectacular performance against Australia.
But Buttler gifts England another two runs with Sri Lanka’s fielding failing with an easy shot not collected.
While Buttler didn’t win any runs from three of the balls in the third over he is definitely the talisman here,
England vs Sri Lanka: England 15/1 after the second over
Malan is now in after Roy was hit out, a spectacular play from Hasaranga.
Malan’s first hit wins a run and Buttler can’t add any more with the fifth ball of the second over.
A single follows and Hasaranga is in his element here. This match is a must win for his team and they needed a lift after that first over from England.
Game on!
England vs Sri Lanka: Roy out
12/0 from the first over and Buttler is first to bat in the second but can only eek out one run from a slick hit.
Second ball and Roy is out. What a bowl from Hasaranga as he hits through the line. Roy tries to rescue the hit but the ball smacks the wickets.
A brilliant wicket for Sri Lanka.
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