England sweep Sri Lanka, defend 129 to win final T20
In the final match on Tuesday, they defended a modest target of 129, defeating the visitors by 12 runs.
KATHMANDU: England set the perfect tone ahead of the T20 World Cup by completing a 3-0 series sweep over Sri Lanka.
In the final match on Tuesday, they defended a modest target of 129, defeating the visitors by 12 runs.
Electing to bat first, England suffered early setbacks as Ben Duckett fell on the very first ball. Dawid Malan, Tom Banton, and Harry Brook also failed to make significant contributions.
However, Sam Curran stood out with a brilliant innings of 58 runs—his career-best—helping England post 128 for 9. Chamika Karunaratne starred with the ball for Sri Lanka, taking 5 crucial wickets.
Sri Lanka’s chase began poorly, with Luke Wood and Liam Dawson striking early. Adil Rashid and Will Jacks added pressure by taking regular wickets.
At 90 for 4, Sri Lanka looked poised for a comeback, but England turned the game around.
Jacks claimed two key wickets, while Jacob Bethell produced a remarkable over, taking three wickets and finishing with 4 in total.
The visitors were eventually bowled out for 116 in 19.3 overs, with Kusal Mendis top-scoring at 26.
The win also marked a record for England, as they successfully defended their smallest T20 target.
England will kick off their World Cup campaign against Nepal on Sunday, carrying momentum from this dominant series performance.
