In a stunning turn of events at the Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru, Sri Lanka dealt a severe blow to England’s World Cup aspirations, thrashing the defending champions by eight wickets and pushing them to the brink of elimination from the tournament.
Chasing a modest target of 157, Sri Lanka showcased a clinical performance, reaching 160-2 with an astounding 146 balls to spare. The architects of this remarkable victory were the in-form duo of Pathum Nissanka and Sadeera Samarawickrama.
Pathum Nissanka continued his impressive form, remaining unbeaten with a score of 77. This marked his fourth consecutive half-century in the tournament. Samarawickrama complemented Nissanka’s performance with an unbeaten 65, building on his noteworthy knocks of 108 against Pakistan and 91 in the match against the Netherlands.
In contrast, England struggled to make an impact with the bat, managing a below-par total of 156 all out in just 33.2 overs. Ben Stokes emerged as the lone warrior in England’s lineup, with a gritty 43. However, his valiant effort was short-lived as he was caught by Dushan Hemantha in the deep off Lahiru Kumara’s bowling.
Sri Lanka’s bowlers, led by Kumara’s excellent figures of 3-35, applied consistent pressure and exploited the conditions to their advantage. Angelo Mathews, playing in his fourth World Cup as an injury replacement, played a crucial role, picking up 2-14. His dismissal of Dawid Malan and involvement in the run-out of Joe Root left England struggling at 85-5.
Moeen Ali fell victim to Mathews in his second spell, while Chris Woakes was dismissed by Kasun Rajitha after a brilliant low diving catch by Samarawickrama. The Sri Lankan bowlers proceeded to dismantle England’s tail, setting the stage for a comprehensive victory.
This triumph not only handed Sri Lanka a crucial win but also left England facing the daunting prospect of potential elimination from the World Cup, adding a new twist to the tournament’s narrative.
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