PALEKLE, Sri Lanka (AP) – Tom Banton smashed 54 off 33 balls and England sealed the series by winning the second T20 against Sri Lanka by six wickets with two balls remaining in the DLS approach on Sunday.
England lead 2-0 in the three-match series ahead of the Cricket T20 World Cup starting on Saturday.
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Banton hit three sixes and four fours as England managed to chase down the revised target of 168 in 17 overs. The final score was 173-4 in 16.4 overs. Jos Buttler scored 39 runs off 29 balls, including six fours.
Sri Lanka lost the match and reached 189-5 in 20 overs with Pavan Rathnayake’s 40 off 22 balls becoming the team’s top scorer.
A brief rain reduced the game to 17 overs per team.
Sri Lanka lost by 11 runs in the rain-affected series opener, also at Palleklei, on Friday. The T20 final will be played at the same venue on Tuesday.
Sri Lanka Quick Start
Pathum Nissanka scored 34 runs off 22 balls with two sixes and Kamil Mishara (36) scored 56 runs off 33 balls for the first wicket.
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Jofra Archer (2-42) got the breakthrough in the sixth over off Nissanka bowling. Kusal Mendis then added another 50 off 33 balls for the second wicket with Mishara.
Mendis struck 32 off 17 deliveries, including four fours and six balls, as Sri Lanka maintained a good scoring rate before losing three quick wickets.
Will Jacks dismissed Mishara in the 11th over. Eight balls later, Liam Dawson sent back Mendis while Adil Rashid trapped Dasun Shanaka LBW for 1 run in the 14th over.
Ratnayake helped the team to a record of 131-4, scoring 56 runs off 36 balls with Charith Asalanka, who scored 28 runs off 22 balls and four fours.
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England’s chase
It looked like a tough target for England, who fell short of a par score of 57-2 in 7.2 overs at DLS in rainy conditions.
Opener Phil Salt took 1 to defeat Matheesha Pathirana (2-47), while Jacob Bethell was dismissed for 13.
Due to rain and a wet outfield, the game was delayed for approximately 75 minutes before the goal was adjusted and play resumed.
Buttler provided support to Banton, who scored a half-century off 29 balls.
The pair added 43 off 28 deliveries before Buttler lost it to Dunis Velarachi in the tenth over.
Banton made another 49 off just 20 balls with captain Harry Brook (36 balls) and then a quick 43 off 25 balls (14 not out off 20 balls) with Sam Curran to win the match.
Brooke hit four sixes off 12 balls and hit the target but was later caught by Patialana.
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