INDIA: The 25th game of World Cup 2023 witnessed Sri Lanka defeat England, the reigning champions, by 8 wickets with 146 balls left in the M Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru, while chasing a score of 157 runs.
This is Sri Lanka’s fifth straight victory over England in World Cup games, making it the outcome of this specific match for the previous 20 years.
When Sri Lanka came to bat in the second innings, they quickly lost two wickets to Kusal Perera and Kusal Mendis. However, Sadeera Samarawickrama (65*) and Pathum Nissanka (77*) formed a solid partnership and overcame England by eight wickets. David Willey was the only bowler to be successful for England, taking two wickets.
Earlier in the day, England captain Jos Buttler chose to bat first after winning the toss, but Sri Lanka continued to pick up wickets. Only Jonny Bairstow (30) and Ben Stokes (43) were able to stay on the pitch for extended periods of time as English batsmen. In 33.2 overs, all of the wickets fell. England was only able to score 156 runs.
Lahiru Kumara claimed three wickets for Sri Lanka, while Kasun Rajitha and Angelo Mathews both claimed two wickets, and Maheesh Theekshana claimed one wicket. With his 3 for 35, Lahiru Kumara was named Player of the Match.
England has only won one of their first four World Cup games, making their trip a tumultuous and dismal one. They now have to win their next five games and hope for a favourable net run rate because of the current circumstances. Their bowlers have had difficulty holding opponents in check, and their aggressive batting strategy has not produced any results.
Kusal Mendis’ recent decline in form is hurting the 1996 champions’ campaign. Under Buttler’s leadership, England has won six of their past ten meetings against Sri Lanka, while the latter has only won twice. After playing just three games in the previous 2.5 years, veteran Angelo Mathews has been called up by Sri Lanka to take Matheesha Pathirana’s spot.
Also Read: World Cup 2023: Australia Registers Second Consecutive Win, Defeats Pakistan by 62 Runs
