England Beat Sri Lanka By 4 Wickets To Confirm Semi-Finals Berth; Defending Champions Australia Crash Out

SL vs ENG: In yet another last-over thriller in T20 World Cup 2022, England defeated Sri Lanka by 4 wickets to make it to the semi-final stage of the tournament. With this English win, defending champions Australia have crashed out of the T20 World Cup. 

Chasing 142 runs to win, England openers gave an explosive start as Alex Hales and Jos Buttler added 75 runs for the first wicket in 7.2 overs. Then, Wanindu Hasaranga struck in consecutive overs to remove both the openers. While Buttler scored 28 runs off 23 balls, Alex Hales smacked 47 runs off 30 balls with 7 fours & a six. 

Thereon, a flurry of wickets fell as Lahiru Kumara and Dhananjaya de Silva grabbed wickets to make things tough for the English side. However, Ben Stokes, batting at #3, stayed on the crease till the end as he scored an unbeaten 42 runs off 36 balls with 2 fours to take England to the semi-finals of the T20 World Cup 2022, eliminating defending champions Australia.

In the first innings, England bowlers restrict Sri Lanka to 145/8 in the must-win match of Group A here at Sydney Cricket Ground.

After winning the toss Sri Lankan skipper Dasun Shanaka opted to bat first and capitalized on a good start due to Pathum Nissanka's well-deserved half-century.

Nissanka scored runs at a strike rate of 148.89 and scored 67 in 45 balls which included 2 fours and 5 sixes. Bhanuka Rajapaksha was the second-best batter on the team who got 18 runs in 20 balls.

The rest of the Lankan batters couldn't able to make runs for their team after a good start by the top order.

England bowled well in the decider where Mark Wood became the leading wicket-taker of the match as he scalped 3/26 in 3 overs.

Also Read: Today Live Match Scorecard

Apart from Wood, Stokes (1/24), Woakes (1/24) got wickets in 3 overs and Sam Curran (1/27), and Rashid (1/16) also clinched important wickets for their team.

Brief Score: 

• Sri Lanka – 141/8 (Nissanka - 67(45), Wood - 3/26)
• England – 144/6 in 19.4 overs (Hales - 47(30), Hasaranga - 2/23)