England dismantled Sri Lanka's Super Eight ambitions in Pallekele on Sunday, bowling the co-hosts out for a dismal 95 to defend a target of 147. The 51-run victory was effectively sealed during a chaotic Powerplay that saw the home side lose five wickets on a surface batting consultant Vikram Rathour described as "tricky" and "tacky."
Despite a full house at the Pallekele International Cricket Stadium, the Sri Lankan batting order offered little resistance against an England attack that exploited the moisture trapped under the covers from recent heavy rains. The defeat leaves Sri Lanka’s semi-final hopes in a precarious position, requiring immediate victories in their remaining Group 2 fixtures.
The chase began with immediate instability. Sri Lanka’s top order failed to adjust to the slow pace of the wicket, leading to a procession of batters returning to the pavilion before the fielding restrictions had even lifted. Vikram Rathour, who joined the setup in January, criticized the decision-making of his squad during the most critical phase of the game.
The batters could have taken some better options. I thought on a wicket where the ball is stopping, pushing is not a great idea. A couple of our wickets were lost on guys pushing for a single. I don't think that was a great option in these conditions. Either you play a hard shot or you defend maybe.Vikram Rathour, Sri Lanka batting consultant
Two of the most damaging dismissals involved Kusal Mendis and Kamindu Mendis, both of whom offered simple caught-and-bowled chances while attempting to work the ball for singles. The pitch, which had been under covers for several days leading up to the match, lacked the pace for such nuanced strike rotation.
Result: England (146) beat Sri Lanka (95) by 51 runs.
Powerplay disaster: Sri Lanka slumped to five wickets down within the first six overs.
Pitch report: "Tacky" and slow due to persistent rain and limited sun exposure.
Nissanka factor: Pathum Nissanka, who has 925 runs since the start of 2025, fell for just 9.
Sri Lankan captain Dasun Shanaka struck a tone of frustration following the match, noting that his bowlers had done enough to put the team in a winning position. Sri Lanka restricted England to 146, a score Shanaka estimated to be at least 20 runs under par for the venue.
Really disappointing, but we had a lot of positives with the ball. I expected my players to bat well. The pitch played well, was a bit slow. We batted badly. It's not that they bowled really well, we played some rash shots at critical intervals.Dasun Shanaka, Sri Lanka Captain
The skipper emphasized that while the bowling attack; consisting of five frontline options, is world-class, the batting unit must learn to "take it deep" on slower surfaces.
The failure of Pathum Nissanka (9 off 8 balls) often correlates with a Sri Lankan loss, but Rathour was quick to dismiss claims that the team is overly dependent on their star opener. Nissanka has been the standout performer for the nation since 2025, maintaining a strike rate of 149, but Rathour insists the rest of the top four must share the burden.
"I think every team has that kind of situation; when your best batter gets out, you do feel the pressure a bit," Rathour noted. "But we are hoping he will come good in the next two and win us a couple of games."