The commentary is not available for this match. Please check the scorecard for latest updates.
A performance that will certainly bolster the confidence of the Sri Lankan players. England well short of where they should have been and are staring down the barrel at this stage of the tournament. England's next assignment will be their toughest of the World Cup. They will be up against India on Sunday while Sri Lanka will meet Afghanistan in their next encounter on October 30. Like always it was a pleasure bringing all the live coverage from this encounter. Till the next time, goodbye from me (Arya Sekhar Chakraborty) and my fellow commentator Shashwat Kumar. Cheers!
Kusal Mendis (Sri Lanka captain): Net run rate going up is good for my team. We have done very well in the last couple of games. Everyone doing really well today. Yeah of course, we have another four games. We have to win three games back to back and I hope me and my teammates can press hard for the semi-final. In the last match also we have done really well and I hope it continues. Lahiru knows his role, he is the main fast bowler. He controlled the game today. I am really happy for him. Mathews so much experience, he tells so many things in the middle overs. He bowled really well. We have some many things, he can bat and enjoy the game. He plays the pressure situation very well and I am very lucky to play with him. Yeah of course our fielding was excellent today. Sadeera and Charith and everyone did well. Everyone doing same thing in fielding, we have more confidence and hopefully, we can qualify for the semi-final.
Jos Buttler (England captain): Yeah a lot. Its incredibly tough and disappointing performance. Very long way away from where we should have been. We haven't made a good account of ourselves. There is no clear answer at the moment. As a captain, you have to lead from the front and I have been way short of my best. Not massively to be honest. Rally experienced players in the dressing room. They don't become bad players or we don't become a bad team all of a sudden. There must be something but can't put a finger on that at this point. I think selection is something you have to be consistent with. Build that trst and longevity but that is not the problem at the moment, it is the performance. Its an obvious one to say, Joe Root's run out as well, that sort of mistake we are making which isn't expected of us. We haven't done our basics right either in bowling or batting. It's about personal pride, whatever happens going forward but rest of the matches we want to play good cricket.
Lahiru Kumara, Player of the Match: (On his performance) Very happy with how this game went for me. (How he came back after the game against Australia) I did not make a lot of changes, just worked hard. The Australia game was an off-day and I did not give up. Thankfully, the results came today. (On Mathews' comeback) Having Angelo back in the team is an inspiration and massive strength for the team. I got a lot of support from him at mid off and mid on, he supported me in situations and it is great to have him back. (On the wickets he took) The plan was to be disciplined in the middle overs and it was rewarded with wickets.
Sri Lanka won by 8 wickets (with 24.2 overs to spare)
Pathum Nissanka 77*(83) | Lahiru Kumara 3/35(7) Ben Stokes 43(73) | David Willey 2/30(5)
What a dominating performance it was from Sri Lanka as they got their World Cup campaign back on track with a resounding 8-wicket victory against England to register their 2nd victory of the tournament. The defending champions were thoroughly outplayed and never seemed to be in the game. The target of 157 was never going to challenge the Sri Lankan middle order.
The only way England could have made a match out of it was early wickets in the powerplay. They did bag a couple in the form of Kusal Perera and Kusal Mendis but the duo of Pathum Nissanka and Sadeera Samarawickrama totally shut shop on England as they kept toying with the Lankan attack and didn't give any chance whatsoever. Nissanka took his time initially before starting to flourish both against the pacers and the spinners.
Neither of the batters allowed England to claw back into the game by playing defensive cricket. They kept finding the boundaries and in the end, it was just a stroll in the park as far as the 1996 World champions are concerned. Both batters looked compact at the crease and was never fazed by the occasion. They kept knocking it around for singles but didn't fail to miss out on the boundary balls and never lower England to get back in the game.
Earlier in the day, the Sri Lankan bowlers were right on the money and skittled out the defending champs for just 156. Lahiru Kumara bowled with venom and was the most successful wicket-taker with 3 to his name. Angelo Mathews on his return bagged two crucial wickets while Kasun Rajitha also chipped in with a couple. The Sri Lankan fielding was top-notch and affected a couple of brilliant run-outs besides some exceptional catching.
Nissanka finishes it off in style and what a dominating show this has been from the 1996 World champions. England have been outplayed in World Cups for the 5th game in succession. Jos Buttler have a lot to ponder but it looks their World Cup campaign is as good as over.
25.4 Adil Rashid to Pathum Nissanka, THAT WILL BE THAT! NISSANKA FINISHES IT OFF IN STYLE AND SRI LANKA HAVE DEMOLISHED THE DEFENDING CHAMPIONS! In the arc, and out of the park. Dances down the track and absolutely pummels it over the bowler's head. England's shoulders drop further but to be honest, they were never in this contest. Sri Lanka have outclassed England, and the defending champions' title defence is, well, in tatters!
25.3 Adil Rashid to Pathum Nissanka, back of a length on off. Nissanka hangs back and punches it towards mid on
25.2 Adil Rashid to Pathum Nissanka, back of a length outside off. Goes back and taps it to short extra cover
25.1 Adil Rashid to Pathum Nissanka, tossed up generously outside off. Nissanka has a slog at it and skies it. Clears mid on, though, and the ball plugs in the outfield. Gets two for his toil
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J Root
K Mendis
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M.Chinnaswamy Stadium, Bengaluru
