Dushan Hemantha’s bizarre hit-wicket sums up Sri Lanka’s nightmare outing vs England in Super 8 clash

Sri Lanka crumbled for just 95 in 16.4 overs despite favourable conditions, as England secured an emphatic 51-run victory

Updated on: Feb 22, 2026, 18:41:23 IST

Written by Aratrick Mondal

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Only three hit-wicket dismissals had been recorded in T20 World Cup history prior to the 2024 edition. The 2026 tournament has already witnessed three more in the last 11 days, with Dushan Hemantha becoming the latest victim on Sunday, an embarrassing dismissal that perfectly summed up Sri Lanka’s horror outing in front of their home crowd in Pallekele. The hosts crumbled for just 95 in 16.4 overs despite favourable conditions, as England secured an emphatic 51-run victory to make the ideal start to their Super 8 Group 2 campaign.

Sri Lanka's Dushan Hemantha is hit wicket during the 2026 ICC Men's T20 Cricket World Cup Super Eights match between Sri Lanka and England (AFP)

The defeat also marked England’s 12th consecutive win over Sri Lanka, including a 3-0 series whitewash earlier this month on the eve of the World Cup.

Despite missing three frontline bowlers, Sri Lanka initially did well to contain England’s batting line-up with regular breakthroughs. Left-arm spinner Dunith Wellalage picked up three wickets, while left-arm seamer Dilshan Madushanka and off-spinner Maheesh Theekshana claimed two apiece, restricting England to 146 for 9 in their 20 overs. Phil Salt stood out with a fluent 62, anchoring the innings amid the wickets falling around him.

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Chasing a modest target of 147, Sri Lanka’s reply unraveled almost immediately. They were reduced to 34 for 5 inside the powerplay after Will Jacks struck twice in two deliveries and Jofra Archer rattled the openers with pace and precision.

The 34 for 5 became the second-lowest powerplay score by a Full Member nation in this edition of the World Cup. It was also the third time England had claimed five wickets in the powerplay in the tournament, and the first time Sri Lanka had lost five wickets in that phase in T20 World Cup history.

Pathum Nissanka (9), Kamil Mishara (6), Kusal Mendis (4) and Pavan Rathnayake (0) all departed for single-digit scores as the innings spiralled out of control.

The night’s misery was encapsulated on the final ball of the 12th over when Hemantha dragged his back foot onto the stumps while attempting a stroke, dislodging the bails in a moment that symbolised Sri Lanka’s chaos. He became the first Sri Lanka batter to be dismissed in that fashion.

Sri Lanka will now look to regroup ahead of their must-win clash against New Zealand at the R. Premadasa Stadium in Colombo on February 25. The Black Caps’ opening Super 8 fixture against Pakistan at the same venue was washed out due to rain.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Aratrick Mondal
Aratrick Mondal is a senior sports journalist based in New Delhi. In his eight years as a sports writer, Aratrick has worked at leading media organisations, including The Times of India, Times Now, Zee, India TV and currently works at a senior position at Hindustan Times Digital. He writes on cricket, football, pickleball and tennis, among other sports. He has extensively covered India's evolving cricket landscape, the country's new-found love for private leagues such as Indian Pickleball League (IPBL), Ultimate Kho Kho League (UKK), Rugby Premier League (RPL) and several tennis leagues. He has closely covered emerging sports such as pickleball. His coverage of major franchise events lends an atmospheric flavor to his ground reports. His recent story on how SA20 (the domestic cricket league of South Africa) had opened up its grounds to create a carnival-like fan experience garnered major international attention, including appreciation from major cricketers. Tennis holds a special place in his heart. Aratrick has built a strong niche in analytical tennis stories—ranging from Grand Slam narratives and player profiles to tactical breakdowns and ranking trends. His long-form features often decode grand slams, career highs and lows of tennis greats and the upward trajectory of emerging stars. He also closely follows India's tennis landscape, having covered the Davis Cup, Bengaluru Open and Tata Open, among others. His reporting is backed by strong data capabilities, with hands-on experience using tools like Python, Tableau, and Excel to produce visually rich, insight-led stories. This data-first approach enhances accuracy, transparency, and trust. In leadership roles, he has managed editorial shifts, overseen homepage strategy, optimised SEO workflows, and mentored peers to deliver consistent, high-traffic journalism. He recently won the HT DigiStar award for the third quarter of financial year 2025-26. Aratrick is trusted for his balanced reportage, sound sourcing, and ability to translate complex sporting events into engaging narratives that speak to a wide audience. He believes sports is for everyone, not just for the enthusiasts and has a unique ability to bring people together - just like the sumptuous meals you'll often find him cooking on a weekend evening.Read More

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