England rode on the experience of Ben Stokes as they scampered their way to the T20 World Cup semi-finals with a four-wicket win over Sri Lanka, the result ending reigning champions and hosts Australia's campaign in the tournament.
Sri Lankan opener Pathum Nissanka gave them an explosive start with a 45-ball 67 but the English bowlers roared back to restrict them to a modest 141 for eight.
Chasing a tricky target on a dry SCG wicket, Alex Hales (47; 30b) and skipper Jos Buttler (28; 23b) produced a ruthless opening partnership of 75 runs from 43 balls.
From there, they just needed 67 from 77 balls but in no time, half of the English side were down with crafty spinner Wanindu Hasaranga (2/23) once again triggering a collapse.
He dismissed the English openers in addition of just seven runs, before the likes of Dhananjaya de Silva (2/24) and Lahiru Kumara (2/24) got into the act.
With their designated No. 3 Dawid Malan injured (groin), England had a rejigged batting order and looked shaky, needing 31 runs in 33 balls when Moeen Ali became Dhananjaya de Silva's second victim.
But English Test skipper Stokes, looking to find form in this tournament, held his nerves and closed out the chase with a composed 42 not out from 36 balls. He was associated in a nervy 15-run partnership with Chris Woakes.
After rain proved to be a dampener in the Australia-England clash at the Melbourne Cricket Ground earlier in the Super 12, the Aussies ended their group stage campaign with seven points, and their semifinal hopes rested on a Lankan win over the Englishmen.
England finished second behind New Zealand in Group 1 and will take on the Group 2 toppers in the last-four.
It was a rollicking start for England as Hales played the role of the aggressor while Buttler took time to settle down.
Gradually, the English skipper also got into the act as he smashed the wily Hasaranga for consecutive fours and a six.
Earlier, Nissanka provided the perfect start as he blazed his way to a 33-ball fifty after his team elected to bat.
The stylish opener took the English attack to the cleaners and slammed five sixes and two fours, but leg-spinner Adil Rashid (4-0-16-1) brilliantly turned it around by taking his maiden wicket of the tournament in the form of Nissanka.
Check T20 World Cup Group 1 points table here
On the other hand, Sri Lanka have nothing to lose coming into the match as they were already knocked out of the tournament after Australia's win yesterday. They can attain a maximum of 6 points if they overcome the Three Lions' challenge today, which will come as a boon to hosts Australia.
ENG vs SL Playing XI
England Playing XI: Jos Buttler(w/c), Alex Hales, Moeen Ali, Liam Livingstone, Harry Brook, Ben Stokes, Sam Curran, Dawid Malan, Chris Woakes, Adil Rashid, Mark Wood.
Sri Lanka Playing XI: Pathum Nissanka, Kusal Mendis(w), Dhananjaya de Silva, Charith Asalanka, Bhanuka Rajapaksa, Dasun Shanaka(c), Wanindu Hasaranga, Chamika Karunaratne, Maheesh Theekshana, Lahiru Kumara, Kasun Rajitha.
England 144-6 after 19.4 overs
Lahiru Kumara bowls the last over...
Ball 4: Woakes cuts the short and wide delivery towards backward point boundary for FOUR and wins the match for England. The Three Lions are in the semis, knocking the defending champions Australia out of the World Cup.
Ball 3: Woakes fails to out bat on ball off the back of length delivery, which didn't bounce. DOT
Ball 2: Stokes guides the short of lenth delivery towards third man for a single.
Ball 1: Stokes hits the foirst ball towards deep extra cover for a couple of runs.
England 137-6 after 19 overs
Kasun Ranjitha bowls the penultimate over.
Ball 6: Stokes hits the full delivery towards deep mid-wicket for a single.
Ball 5: Stokes knocks the wide full toss straight to extra cover for no run.
Ball 4: Stokes hits the full slow delivery down the ground for a couple of runs.
Ball 4: WIDE outside off.
Ball 3: Stokes on strike and hits the low full toss towards wide of long-on fielder for a couple of runs.
Ball 2: Chris Woakes gets an inside edge onto the pads and takes a risky single.
Ball 1: Stokes pushes towards mid-off for a quick single.
Lahiru Kumara bowls the 18th over and starts with THREE DOT deliveries as Sam Curran fails to score off the first three.
Curran top-edges the 4th ball to the third man for a single.
Ben Stokes hits the 5th ball towards mid-off for a single.
Curran hoicks the last ball straight to deep fine leg, GONE.
Ben Stokes and Sam Curran have steadied the English innings. England now need 15 runs off the remaining 18 deliveries.
England 127-5 after 17 overs
The spinners have done the trick for Sri Lanka. With 29 needed off 30 balls, England have lost five wickets while adding only 18 runs on board.
Ben Stokes and Sam Curran are at the crease.
England 113-5 after 15 overs
After a quickfire opening stand, both English openers Jos Buttler and Alex Hales are back to pavillion. But opening stand has put England in the driver's seat as the required runs are less than the remaining deliveries.
England have lost their third wicket as well as Dhananjaya de Silva gets the wicket of Harry Brook.
The Sydney wicket is offering big turns and balls are staying low. Sri Lanka could make a game from hereon. Let's see
English openers are continue to score big runs. Alex Hales tonked Lahiru Kumara for two back-to-back boundaries in the over, collecting 14 runs in total along with Buttler.
England 38-0 after 4 overs
Theekshana continues and concedes 9 runs as Buttler hammers the third ball of the over for FOUR.
England 24-0 after 3 overs
Kasun Rajitha, right-arm fast medium, comes into the attack and Alex Hales smashes two back-to-back boundaries to give England the much-needed acceleration.
England 15-0 after 2 Overs
Maheesh Theekshana bowls the first over. Alex Hales and Jos Buttler open the innings for England.
England 3-0 after 1 over
Mark Wood came in to bowl the final over of the innings and took his 2nd wicket of the nigh on the 2nd delivery of the over by dismissing Bhanuka Rajapaksa on 22 runs.
Wood then went on to take another 2 wickets on the last 2 balls as Chamika Karunaratane and Wanindu Hasaranga were dismissed in the end.
Wood ended England's final over, conceding 5 runs from it.
Sri Lanka manage to put up 141 runs on the board.
Pacer Mark Wood came in to bowl his 2nd over of the day as Sri Lanka looked in need for some boundaries.
Wood managed to dismiss skipper Dasun Shanaka at 3 runs in the 5th delivery of the over getting his first wicket of the day as well.
He ended his successful over, conceding just 5 runs from it.
England get the big wicket of Pathum Nissanka as he departs for 67 runs after being dismissed by Adil Rashid in the 16th over.
Sri Lanka are 118/4 after 15.3 overs
Spinner Adil Rashid came in to bowl his 3rd over of the day in the 14th over.
He ended his economical over, conceding just 4 runs from it.
Pathum Nissanka has completed his half century in 34 deliveries as he looks to get Sri Lanka to a respectable total.
Ben Stokes get his first wicket of the match as he dismisses Charith Asalanka in the 11th over at just 8 runs.
Sri Lanka are 84/3 after 10.4 overs
Sri Lanka manage to get 80 runs at the halfway stage of their innings as batters Pathum Nissanka and Charith Asalanka look to build some momentum.
Liam Livingstone, right-arm leg break, comes into the attack and concedes three runs off the first 4 deliveries.
Nissanka breaks the shackles in the last two deliveries, first he collects a couple and then slog sweeps the last ball for a SIX towards cow corner.
Adil Rashid, right-arm leg break, comes into the attack and concedes only two singles in the last over of powerplay.
Sri Lanka 52-1 after 5 Overs; Pathum Nissanka 31(15); Dhananjaya de Silva 1 (1)
Sam Curran, left-arm fast medium, comes into the attack
Ball 6: A single for Nissanka
Ball 5: Nissanka smashes just over deep backward square leg fielder for a SIX.
Ball 4: Nissanka gets an top edge over slip for FOUR.
Ball 3: Dhanajaya de Silva collect a single.
Ball 2: Nissanka collects a single.
Ball 1: DOT
Sri Lanka 39-1 after 4 Overs; Pathum Nissanka 19(10)
Chris Woakes continues...
Ball 6: A back of length delivery, Mendis smashes it towards deep square leg. Livingstone takes a superb running catch to end Mendis' 18-run knock.
Ball 6: Woakes bowls a bumper, goes over the head of Mendis. WIDE CALLED.
Ball 5: Mendis defends the slow delivery back to bowler.
Ball 4: Mendis makes some room and smashes the ball on the pads towards deep backward square leg for FOUR.
Ball 3: DOT
Ball 2: Nissanka collects a single.
Ball 1: Kusal Mendis collects a single towards deep mid-wicket
Sri Lanka 30-0 after 3 Overs; Pathum Nissanka 18(9); Kusal Mendis 13(9)
Mark Wood, right-arm fast, comes into the attack
Ball 6: A short delivery, Nissanka plays an upper cut and the ball sails over third man fielder for a SIX.
Ball 5: Mendis collects a quick single.
Ball 4: Nissanka dabs towards short third man for a single.
Ball 3: Mendis chips the back of length delivery over mid-wicket for three runs.
Ball 2: DOT
Ball 1: Mendis smashes the ball on the pads towards square leg region for a BIG SIX.
Sri Lanka 15-0 after 2 Overs; Pathum Nissanka 11(7); Kusal Mendis 3(5)
Chris Woakes, right-arm fast medium, comes into the attac
Ball 6: A quick single from Mendis to end the over.
Ball 5: DOT
Ball 4: Nissanka collects a leg bye.
Ball 3: Mendis punches the back of length delivery towards point for a single.
Ball 2: Nissank dabs the good length delivery towards off side for a quick single.
Ball 1: Nissanka collects a couple of runs towards deep mid-wicket.
Sri Lanka 9-0 after 1 Over; Pathum Nissanka 8(4); Kusal Mendis 1(2)
Stokes takes the new ball...
Ball 6: Another ball on the pads and Nissanka just works it towards deep square leg for a single.
Ball 5: Mendis misses an opportunit as he hits the full toss towards deep square leg for a single.
Ball 4: DOT
Ball 3: Nissanka clips the ball on the pads towards deep backward square leg for a single.
Ball 2: Stokes bowls a short delivery, Nissanka smashes it towards deep fine leg boundary and it goes for a SIX.
Ball 1: Nissanka leaves the first ball alone to keeper.
Ben Stokes takes the news ball as Pathum Nissanka and Kusal Mendis open the innings for Sri Lanka.
England (Playing XI): Jos Buttler(w/c), Alex Hales, Moeen Ali, Liam Livingstone, Harry Brook, Ben Stokes, Sam Curran, Dawid Malan, Chris Woakes, Adil Rashid, Mark Wood
Sri Lanka (Playing XI): Pathum Nissanka, Kusal Mendis(w), Dhananjaya de Silva, Charith Asalanka, Bhanuka Rajapaksa, Dasun Shanaka(c), Wanindu Hasaranga, Chamika Karunaratne, Maheesh Theekshana, Lahiru Kumara, Kasun Rajitha
Sri Lanka captain Dasun Shanaka wins toss and elects to bat first against England.
In the 13 matches played so far, England have won nine while Sri Lanka have managed to win only four games.
England 9 - 4 Sri Lanka
Sri Lanka Squad: Pathum Nissanka, Kusal Mendis(w), Dhananjaya de Silva, Charith Asalanka, Bhanuka Rajapaksa, Dasun Shanaka(c), Wanindu Hasaranga, Maheesh Theekshana, Pramod Madushan, Lahiru Kumara, Kasun Rajitha, Jeffrey Vandersay, Chamika Karunaratne, Asitha Fernando, Ashen Bandara
Jos Buttler(w/c), Alex Hales, Moeen Ali, Liam Livingstone, Harry Brook, Ben Stokes, Sam Curran, Dawid Malan, Chris Woakes, Adil Rashid, Mark Wood, Chris Jordan, David Willey, Tymal Mills, Philip Salt.
Hello and Welcome to our live coverage of ICC T20 World Cup 2022. In today's match, England and Sri Lanka will take on each other. The ENG vs SL is crucial given England need to win today's game for a semis spot. However, if England win today, then defending champions Australia will be knocked out of the tournament.
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