England won the third and final T20I against Sri Lanka by 12 runs to complete a 3-0 clean sweep in the series. The match was played at the Palleki International Cricket Stadium, which was an important dress rehearsal for the preparations for the 2026 T20 World Cup.
England won the toss and elected to bat first and scored 128 runs for 9 wickets in the allotted 20 overs. The score seemed low, but England’s spinners and all-rounders bowled brilliantly and put the hosts in trouble.
Key moments of England’s innings
Sam Curran played a brilliant innings of 58 runs off 48 balls, which was the biggest innings for the team. Other batsmen scored fewer runs. Sri Lankan fast bowler Dushane Chimera took 5 wickets while bowling brilliantly and restricted England to a low score.
Sri Lanka’s six
Chasing the target, Sri Lanka got off to a good start and fell for 62 for just 2, but then completely collapsed. They were all out for 116 in 19.3 overs. England’s young all-rounder Jacob Bethell turned the match around with 4 wickets. Will Jacks took 3 wickets while Adil Rashid, Lockwood and Liam Dawson also took one wicket each. None of the Sri Lankan batsmen could play a big innings and the team failed completely.
Match Highlights
- England’s defense of a low score (128/9) was a perfect example of how important spin and intelligent bowling can be.
- Jacob Bethell’s 4/11 bowling spell was match-winning and he was awarded the Player of the Match award.
- The win proved to be crucial for England in their preparations for the T20 World Cup 2026, while Sri Lanka needs to improve their T20 format.
Series Result
England won all three T20 matches to clinch the series 3-0. This is a testament to England’s strong performance in white-ball cricket, especially thanks to their spin bowling and all-rounders.
For cricket fans, this match was an exciting contest where England won with their strategy in a low-scoring game. Both teams will now be busy preparing for the World Cup.