Sports Reporter :
England piled up a mammoth total of 163 for the loss of four wickets in the stipulated 20 overs against Sri Lanka in their Group-1 match of the ICC T20 World Cup at Sharjah Cricket Stadium in the United Arab Emirates on Monday.
England faced an early collapse as opener Jason Roy (9) was bowled out by Hasaranga de Silva when England’s score was 13. One-down Dawid Malan (6) was bowled out by Dushmantha Chameera when England’s total was 34 for the loss of two wickets.
Second-down Jonny Bairstow (0) was trapped leg before wicket by Hasaranga de Silva when England’s score was 35 for the loss of three wickets.
After Bairstow’s dismissal, Joss Buttler and Eoin Morgan rescued their team from danger contributing together 112 runs for the fourth wicket partnership before Eoin Morgan was bowled out by Hasaranga de Silva when England’s total was 147 for the loss of four wickets.
Joss Buttler remained unbeaten with 101. His terrific 67-ball innings was studded with six sixes and six fours. It is the first century in this ongoing ICC T20 World Cup.
Eoin Morgan hit a polished 40. His 36-ball innings was laced with three sixes and one four.
After Morgan’s dismissal, Buttler and Moeen Ali added together 16 runs for the unbroken fifth wicket partnership before England’s 20 overs quota was finished.
Hasaranga de Silva grabbed three wickets at the cost of 21 runs, while Dushmantha Chameera took one wicket conceding 43 runs.
Sri Lanka scored 24 runs for the loss of one wicket in three overs, till filing this report.
