A magnificent century from Jos Buttler, 101 off 67 balls, completed with a six off the last ball of the innings, has enabled England to maintain their perfect Twenty20 World Cup record.
Sri Lanka became the first team to stretch England, restricting their powerful batting line-up for the first half of their innings on Monday, and making a spirited attempt at overhauling England’s 4-163.
Wanindu Hasaranga, following up a superb bowling spell, led the counter-attack.
In the end, however, England prevailed by 26 runs.
The only negative note for captain Eoin Morgan, who returned to form with a 36-ball 40, was a soft-tissue injury to Tymal Mills, which forced the left-arm quick off midway through his spell.
Put into bat for the first time, and on the low Sharjah wicket, England’s batters discovered it was a very different game.
At the end of the power play against Australia on Saturday in Dubai they were 0-66. At the end of the first six overs this time they were 3-36 with Jason Roy, Dawid Malan and Jonny Bairstow out.
With Morgan struggling against the spinners Buttler consolidated and the pair added just 11 runs from the next four overs reaching the mid-point 3-47.
Then England stepped on the gas. In the last 60 balls they added 116.
Jos Buttler is one of England’s most devastating weapons. (Photo by Michael Steele-ICC/ICC via Getty Images)
Having reached 50 in a relatively sedate 45 balls Buttler took just more 22 balls to go to his first T20 international century.
He said: “I found it tough early on, the spinners were especially tricky with that low bounce, at one time we thought 120 would be a good score. But I’m really please I kept my head, stayed patient and backed myself to catch up. I felt I used a lot of experience.”
Amid the carnage Hasaranga bowled beautifully to take 3-21 off four overs and Maheesh Theekshana’s mystery spin conceded 13 off his four.
Sri Lanka made a bad start when Morgan and Buttler combined again to run out Nissanka off the third ball. Wickets continued to fall regularly and when Dasun Shanaka and Hasaranga came together in the 11th over Sri Lanka were 5-76.
The pair added 53 in under six overs but just as it seemed the chase was on both perished in successive balls to stunning fielding and Sri Lanka folded.
Jason Roy and substitute Sam Billings – on for Mills – combined on the boundary to catch Hasaranga for 34 off 21. Next ball Buttler ran out Shanaka for 26 off 24.
It was soon all over with Sri Lanka’s last five wickets going for eight runs in 14 balls.
Frank delosa
Guest
England's form in the T20 is MAJOR danger signs for Aus in the Ashes. They will likely win the tournament and head to Aus with a head full of steam whilst Aus will limp home and enter the series with zero red ball internationals since January. Wow, way to fail the country CA! England 3-1 on the basis of our fragile and quite pathetic batting lineup. Smith and Labs cannot do it all every innings. Drop Warner now for the Ashes! He is done, stick a searing fork in him he is done!
La grandeur d'Athéna
Roar Rookie
While it was an incredible innings, i believe it was there to see what i have been saying about England batting. Even Jos Buttler was kept quiet against spin.
Ace
Roar Rookie
Hurts to say it but I have to agree. At this point there's not much argument against your comments
Tempo
Roar Rookie
Funnily enough, by winning this match after losing the toss, England showed how big an advantage the toss is in these night matches in particular. They just happened to be good enough to overcome that disadvantage with a blistering final 10 overs. Hard to see England losing a match in this tournament if they win the toss. Even if they lose the toss, their opponents will need to play out of their skins and England will need to be off their best to lose. Much as it pains me to say, they are a really impressive T20I (and white ball generally) unit.
Paul
Roar Guru
Kudos in Buttler and England but it looks like the toss could well decide who wins this World Cup.
Pom in exile
Roar Rookie
Universe Jos. :shocked: