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T20 World Cup: England seal nervy win over Sri Lanka, oust Australia
The result sent England and Group 1 toppers New Zealand through while Australia, who also finished with seven points for a three-way tie, were edged out due to inferior net run rate.
After an excellent start, England made heavy weather of their chase against Sri Lanka in the T20 World Cup match at the Sydney Cricket Ground on Saturday. Hopes, however slim, would have gone up in the Australian camp. The four-wicket win in the end though sealed England the second semi-final spot from Group 1, knocking the hosts and holders out of the tournament.
In seven editions of the tournament, the hosts have never won, only Sri Lanka even managing to reach the final, in 2012. Yet, Australia failing to reach even the last four feels like the biggest setback for a home team. Although not playing anywhere close to their best cricket, one can only wonder how much the washout against England made the difference.
England needed a win to tie on seven points with New Zealand and Australia. A better net run rate meant New Zealand were assured of the top spot and England edged out the hosts. They were on course but for the batting wobble before making it.
After their bowlers had restricted Sri Lanka to 141, Jos Buttler and Co were off to a flier but then kept losing wickets leading to the nervy finish. Sri Lanka fought back through their spinners to get the equation to run-a-ball. England had only three batters left with Dawid Malan out with a groin injury. The odds were against England as in the previous five matches, no team had successfully chased at the spin-friendly SCG.
How Ben Stokes loves these situations. In the 2019 World Cup final, he almost single-handedly willed England to victory over New Zealand. On Saturday, the seasoned cricketer was unlikely to throw it away. It was comparatively easier, he just needed to keep his nerves. And Stokes again proved he was England’s crisis man with an unbeaten 42 off 36 balls.
New Zealand await the Group 2 runners-up and England will face the Group 2 winners. It will be decided on Sunday.
England will be pleased to see Stokes back at his best. The all-rounder was having a quiet World Cup with scores of 2, 6 and 8, but the match-winning impact will take him into the semis brimming with confidence.
“Didn't enjoy that match, how close it was. We just had to find a way to win. These situations are built for him (Stokes), he can play a lot of roles for us in this T20 setup,” skipper Jos Buttler said after the game.
When openers Buttler and Alex Hales registered the highest score in powerplay overs—70/0--it looked like a cakewalk for England. But the Lankan spinners started to chip away after Wanindu Hasaranga removed Buttler and Hales. When Moeen Ali fell, England were reduced to 111/5 in 14.3 overs with 31 to get off 33 balls. Asked to bat at No 3 after Malan was injured while fielding, Stokes played out the spin threat.
Runs were not easy to get. It was a tough battle against Hasaranga and Dhananjay de Silva, who produced spells of 4-0-23-2 and 4-0-24-2 respectively. Stokes was restrained even when Maheesh Theekshana (4-0-22-0), the last of the frontline spin, came on to bowl the 17th over, content with six runs.
At 127/5 after 17 overs, the Lankan pacers too lifted their game. Lahiru Kumara bowled an inspired over, conceding just two runs and removing Sam Curran. It was game on with 13 off 12 balls. But Stokes was steady. From the 19th over, bowled by Kasun Rajitha, he helped get eight runs to make it five off the last six balls. The pressure was released the first ball after he tapped into gap on the off-side for a two, making it three to get off five balls. Chris Woakes triggered celebrations in the dug-out with the winning four off the fourth ball.
England’s bowling hero was leg-spinner Adil Rashid (4-0-16-1), who bowled in different phases to help his side take control after a strong start by the Sri Lanka openers. Pathum Nissanka (67- 45b, 2x4, 5x6) powered his side to 65/1 after seven overs but they only added 76/7 in the last 13 overs. At the start of the slog overs, Rashid picked the prized scalp of the set Nissanka for his first wicket of the tournament.
