ODI World Cup: England’s title defence in tatters after eight-wicket loss to Sri Lanka

For just a little beneath three hours that the England innings lasted in opposition to Sri Lanka, it appeared just like the followers on the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium have been pressured to learn a foul novel in a single sitting.

None of the batters bothered to interact the viewers. There was no try to construct a story and no readability of thought. It felt like going by means of vintage, clunky prose.

It was no shock that Jos Buttler’s males crashed to an eight-wicket loss on Thursday in what was a must-win World Cup match. England’s title defence now lies in tatters, with near-zero chance of it making the semifinals.

For Sri Lanka, the win will really feel like oxygen. Chasing 157, it was lowered to 23 for 2, as England tried to make a contest out of it. But Pathum Nissanka (77 n.o., 83b, 7×4, 2×6) and Sadeera Samarawickrama (65 n.o., 54b, 7×4, 1×6) placed on 137 effective runs to hold Sri Lanka to its second win of the event and fifth straight victory over England in World Cups.

Samarawickrama performed a tone-setting text-book cowl drive off the primary ball he confronted. The 28-year-old then hoisted Adil Rashid, reverse-swept Moeen Ali earlier than mentioning his half-century off 44 balls.

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Nissanka punched, whipped, lower and drove his means by means of the English bowling. His fifty got here through a elegant drive off Mark Wood. It was he who drew the curtains on an abysmal night for England by hitting Rashid for a splendid six over long-on.

Earlier within the afternoon, after selecting to bat, the English openers have been examined throughout a difficult early section. Dilshan Madushanka discovered swing and Jonny Bairstow and Dawid Malan performed and missed. Bairstow may have been out leg-before first ball, however Lanka selected to not overview.

But the duo stabilised, pierced the off-side for a couple of delectable boundaries and placed on 45 runs. The returning Angelo Mathews, nonetheless, proved Lanka’s man with a golden arm. He pressured Malan to nick one behind off the third ball after being launched, helped run out Joe Root and prised out Moeen.

Buttler’s wretched run continued as his vigil was lower brief by a spectacular catch behind the stumps by Kusal Mendis off Lahiru Kumara (three for 35). The skipper additionally executed a sensible run-out when he collected the ball down the leg-side and ran out Rashid who had backed up an excessive amount of on the non-striker’s finish.

Ben Stokes performed a lone hand (43, 73b, 6×4), and was additionally helped alongside as Samarawickrama failed to carry on to a troublesome likelihood at backward-point when on 12. But an act of resurrection proved past even his mighty blade.