COLOMBO: England concluded a commanding clean sweep of the ENG vs SL T20 series with a tense 12-run victory in the third and final match. Restrained to an unimpressive 128 for 9 in their 20 overs, England defended the total thanks to strong bowling and sharp fielding against Sri Lanka’s disciplined pace attack led by Dushmantha Chameera and Matheesha Pathirana.
Batting first in the ENG vs SL decider, England struggled against a disciplined Sri Lankan bowler lineup. Wickets fell regularly without allowing any late flourish, but Sam Curran’s composed 58 off 48 balls provided the backbone of their innings and set them up for defense.
Chasing 129 in the ENG vs SL contest, Sri Lanka showed early intent with Pathum Nissanka’s brisk 23 off 12 balls. However, the chase faltered rapidly after Kamil Mishara was dismissed for a duck. Kusal Mendis led with 26 off 26 balls, supported by contributions from Pavan Rathnayake (13), Kamindu Mendis (14 off 11), and Janith Liyanage (17). Nonetheless, these partnerships were not enough to control the match.
England’s bowlers maintained pressure throughout, keeping Sri Lanka under intense scrutiny. With a climbing required run rate and difficulty in scoring boundaries, especially in middle and death overs, Sri Lanka’s chase dwindled. The tail offered little resistance, leading to a 19.3-over chase of 116 and a decisive 12-run loss for Sri Lanka. This handed England a memorable series sweep.