Jos Buttler’s record-setting 402nd England look got here in a series-sealing victory as captain Harry Brook’s cameo and Tom Banton’s half-century smoked the vacationers to a six-wicket win in a rain-trimmed second T20 towards Sri Lanka in Pallekele.
Buttler’s variety of worldwide matches, which contains Checks, ODIs and T20Is, eclipses the 401 amassed by James Anderson.
The 35-year-old (39 off 29 balls) hit six fours as England efficiently chased a revised 168 from 17 overs, having been set 190 for victory earlier than rain stalled their knock at 57-2 after the primary 7.2 overs.
Brook – two days after admitting he lied about his scuffle with a nightclub bouncer in New Zealand late final 12 months to “protect team-mates” – muscled 4 sixes in a 12-ball 36, whereas Banton (54no off 33) biffed seven boundaries, and maybe cemented his spot within the T20 World Cup XI, as England reached their goal with two balls to spare due to Sam Curran’s (20no off 14) game-ending most.
Sri Lanka have been hampered by a shoulder harm to Eshan Malinga within the first over after the restart, with the seamer not seen once more because the away facet smashed his team-mates everywhere in the park having required 111 from 58 balls as soon as play resumed.
England received a rain-affected opening recreation on Friday and the goal now shall be to finish a 3-0 sweep with victory within the third and remaining T20 on Tuesday, additionally in Pallekele, earlier than starting their T20 World Cup marketing campaign towards Nepal in Mumbai on Sunday February 8.
England pacers pummelled however spinners star
Sri Lanka – co-hosting the T20 World Cup with India – posted 189-5 towards England, looting a mixed 103 runs from eight overs towards the seam of Curran (0-31 from two overs), Jofra Archer (2-42 from 4) and Jamie Overton (0-30 from two).
The hosts discovered it a lot harder towards the spin of Will Jacks (1-25), Adil Rashid (1-24) and Liam Dawson (1-32), all of whom bowled their full allocation of 4 overs.
Pavan Rathnayake (40 off 22) – unnoticed of the opening T20 regardless of a century within the remaining one-day worldwide between the edges final week – top-scored, having been dropped on 12 by Banton.
5 of Sri Lanka’s prime six cantered previous 20 and scored at effectively over a run-a-ball – the one exception was skipper Dasun Shanaka (1), who fell lbw seeking to hack a Rashid googly throughout the road – however solely Rathnayake made it out of the 30s.
Kusal Mendis (32 off 17) adopted openers Pathum Nissanka (34 off 22) and Kamil Mishara (36 off 30) in falling after a speedy begin – Nissanka and Mishara blazing 56 for the primary wicket contained in the powerplay as England’s pacers received pummelled.
Charith Asalanka hit 28 not out off 22 balls after being grassed by Banton at deep sq. within the remaining over, with the identical batter additionally reprieved whereas on 11 within the seventeenth with Phil Salt unable to maintain maintain of what would have been a shocking diving seize within the off-side..
England get job performed in revised chase
Salt sliced Matheesha Pathirana (2-47) to slide within the first over of the chase, after Buttler had smoked back-to-back boundaries, whereas Jacob Bethell (13 off 11) – within the information because the Brook-bouncer incident took a twist – snicked Shanaka (1-24) behind within the fifth.
Banton was on the crease with Buttler when the heavens opened, reverse-sweeping an outstanding six over backward level early on, and he continued to flourish as soon as the rain relented.
The Somerset man might be solely enjoying as a consequence of Ben Duckett’s finger harm however has now given England loads to ponder forward of the World Cup marketing campaign, which you’ll watch stay on Sky Sports activities.
Banton and Curran concluded the innings after Buttler was pouched at deep cowl off Dunith Wellalage (1-30) and Brook scooped Pathirana into the deep following a scintillating knock.
Brook happy forward of T20 World Cup
England captain Harry Brook:
“I thought we played outstandingly. We adapted to conditions with the bat exceptionally well and to get over the line and win the series is awesome. The more time we get out in the middle stands us in good stead going into the World Cup.
“The best way that Banton performed was superior and we couldn’t ask for something extra. We now have received loads of batting in there and we backed ourselves to chase that any day.”
England in Sri Lanka – outcomes and fixtures
All occasions UK and Eire
England’s T20 World Cup fixtures (first spherical)
All occasions UK and Eire; all video games stay on Sky Sports activities
- vs Nepal (Sunday February 8) – Mumbai (9.30am)
- vs West Indies (Wednesday February 11) – Mumbai (1.30pm)
- vs Scotland (Saturday February 14) – Kolkata (9.30am)
- vs Italy (Monday February 16) – Kolkata (9.30am)