Sri Lanka have recorded their biggest ever T20I defeat to England

Sri Lanka suffered a 119-run defeat to England in their first T20I in Southampton on Tuesday (September 15).

It was Sri Lanka’s second heaviest defeat in T20I cricket, only behind their 134-run loss to Australia in Adelaide in 2019, and their 13th straight defeat to England – a run that effectively means Sri Lanka have not beaten England in a T20I for ten years.

England’s total of 254 for 4 in 20 overs was their fourth highest score in T20I cricket, on the back of Harry Brook’s match-high 114 off just 49 deliveries, which was the joint-second fastest century by an Englishman.

Recap

Sri Lanka’s stand-in captain Charith Aslanka decided to field first, after winning the toss, and was instantly made to rue that decision, as England scored 15 off the first over.

That set the tone for how England would approach their innings, as the hosts raced to 90 inside the first six overs – Brook taking 30 runs off a single Dunith Wellalage over.

Brook reached his second T20I hundred in 42 balls, while opener Jos Buttler scored 80 off 44 balls to set the pace for England’s massive total.

In response, Sri Lanka slipped to 32 for 3 inside their first six overs and could not stitch together a significant enough partnership to get the chase on track.

All-rounder Dasun Shanaka and Dunith Wellalage, with 24 and 33 respectively, were the only Sri Lankan batsmen to score more than 20 runs.

All six of England’s bowlers took wickets, with fast bowler Sonny Baker the best of the attack with three wicket for 12 runs in his four overs.