Sri Lanka vs England T20 World Cup Highlights: Lankan batting falls apart, ENG spinners show up to seal 51-run victory

Sri Lanka vs England LIVE Cricket Score: Adil Rashid brings out the big googly to wrap things up! Their batting couldn't come to the party, but Sri Lanka's forgot it was even taking place. No two ways about it, this has been a horrific batting display from the hosts – but England have shown plenty of character to defend 146 comfortably, win by 51 runs, and head to the top of the table in Group 2.

Advantage England in the race to the semifinals now.

Sri Lanka vs England LIVE Cricket Score: Dawson picks up another! Sri Lanka going down swinging but the disappointment is palpable in Pallekele.

Sri Lanka vs England LIVE Cricket Score: Shanaka tries to go after Rashid and gets a solid piece of it but not enough! Jacks is there to pouch it at midwicket, but just to be safe he lobs it to Banton at long-on to make things a little bit easier.

82/8 now.

Sri Lanka vs England LIVE Cricket Score: Been that kind of evening for Sri Lanka thus far. Hemantha tries to play th epull shot off Overton, but loses control and his bat goes on to knock over his own stumps. He will want to forget that quickly.

Sri Lanka vs England LIVE Cricket Score: The equation reads thus. Shanaka is set, but with 6 wickets down, it will require something truly heroic from the captain.

Sri Lanka vs England LIVE Cricket Score: Dawson strikes! Kamindu hits a big slog for six and tries to work it away for a single next ball, but it's another leading edge that loops back and is easily pouched.

52/6. England ecstatic.

Sri Lanka vs England LIVE Cricket Score: Wellalage picks up a could of fours but then throws it away! Tries to go against the spin of Jacks to clear mid on, but gets none of it and is caught easily!

What a first six overs. It's 34/5 and England are heavy favourites!

Sri Lanka vs England LIVE Cricket Score: Do you believe it, England are on top! Archer with another, too quick for Mishara who edges it, and is caught at short third.

Sri Lanka in a world of trouble. 26/4 after 5.

Sri Lanka vs England LIVE Cricket Score: It's another! And it's another poor shot. Rathnayake tries to charge down and hit it for six first ball, but slices it straight into the air after never getting to the pitch. Straight up and easily taken.

Sri Lanka suddenly in trouble, 21/3 after 4 overs.

Sri Lanka vs England LIVE Cricket Score: The Will Jacks gambit in the powerplay works! It's a pair of crucial wickets. Will Jacks gets just a little bit of purchase, and a leading edge loops back to him for a simple catch.

20/2 now. England keeping themselves interested.

Sri Lanka vs England LIVE Cricket Score: Big wicket! Nissanka is in great touch, but that's a poor choice of shot after consecutive boundaries from him. He had Archer under the pump, but flicks a ball off his pads aerially, and right to the sole man on the leg-side boundary. He'll be disappointed with that wicket.

15/1 after 2.4.

Sri Lanka vs England LIVE Cricket Score: 147-run chase, and Sri Lanka won't want to complicate things. At just over 7, the required rate will never be too much of a concern. Wickets are what will matter.

Sri Lanka vs England LIVE Cricket Score: Overton manages to hammer one six off Chameera, but that's all as the yorkers are spot-on after that ball.

146/9 at the end of the innings then. England will need to pull something out of their hat to defend this – Sri Lanka will back themselves to take the points.

Sri Lanka vs England LIVE Cricket Score: Now nine down! Another low full toss and Archer can't clear the ring on the off-side. Well taken by Hemantha.

One over left, one wicket left. Can Overton get England to 150?

Sri Lanka vs England LIVE Cricket Score: Jacks could have played a really important cameo to help England even dream of getting to 160, but that is shattered! He picks the extra cover boundary a couple of times in the over, but Madhushanka persists with the wide-of-off gameplan. A low full toss that Jacks goes hard at, but gets not enough distance on. Nicely taken by the sweeper on the off-side.

135/8 with 7 balls to play.

Sri Lanka vs England LIVE Cricket Score: Last over of spin for Sri Lanka, and Theekshana makes it count! Dawson tries to take it on but it's straight into the air, and easily taken at short cover.

124/7. Running out of batting options.

Sri Lanka vs England LIVE Cricket Score: And there goes Salt! Tries to hammer it down the ground but not enough power behind that. Easily settles into the hands of long-off.

England now 106/6 with 5 overs to play. Need Will Jacks to rescue them.

Sri Lanka vs England LIVE Cricket Score: No no no! It looked like a partnership was finally brewing but Sam Curran has thrown it away. Tries to hammer Chameera down the ground, but the cutter completely outfoxes him. Sliced, and easily taken.

94/5 now.

Sri Lanka vs England LIVE Cricket Score: Very good innings from Phil Salt with wickets tumbling around him. He is breathing heavy and struggling with the conditions at the moment, but conserving his energy at the moment.

Curran takes on leg-spinner Hemantha, tonks him for six over midwicket. Much more of that needed.

Sri Lanka vs England LIVE Cricket Score: Spin continues to be the death of England! Wellalage keeps it simple, within the width of the stumps, and Brook simply misses a straight one and is given LBW. Takes it to DRS, it's umpire's call on wickets hitting, but that's enough.

England in deep trouble halfway through. It's 68/4 at the 10th over mark.

Sri Lanka vs England LIVE Cricket Score: Nearly another suicide run and England have gotten away with one massively! Salt is struggling to get back for the second, but there is too much heat on the throw in from long-off, and the backing up is poor. Runs away for two plus four overthrows, and what could have been four down is a big boost instead.

Sri Lanka vs England LIVE Cricket Score: All going wrong for England! Banton pokes it to Shanaka at mid-off and sets off for a run, but it's too risky! The captain with a lovely pickup and three stumps to aim at, and he hits – Banton well short and Sri Lanka are bouncing!

49/3, Sri Lanka's plan working perfectly.

Sri Lanka vs England LIVE Cricket Score: Sri Lanka dominate the powerplay. Plenty of spin bowled through it, and now with the field restrictions out of the way, it will be about keeping the England batters quiet and forcing them to make mistakes.

Sri Lanka vs England LIVE Cricket Score: Theekshana introduced and strikes immediately! Bethell tries to attack him, but he is undone in attempting to do that – catches a thick outside edge, and loops to Madhushanka who takes a good catch at backward point.

Sri Lanka have deserved this, they have been phenomenal. Spin back to cause England problems.

Sri Lanka vs England LIVE Cricket Score: Excellent bowling from Madhushanka to keep Salt under the coop, and he will be hard done by to concede those two boundaries. First one is a thick outside edge that falls short of short third, evades his dip and runs away for four. Next ball is an out-of-control one-handed slice which Salt does well to manufacture into the gap.

32/1 after 5, some momentum for England.