Sports
England underline T20 World Cup credentials with series win over SL
PALLEKELE: England completed a convincing six-wicket win over Sri Lanka in the second T20 international to wrap up the three-match series with a game to spare at Pallekele on Sunday.
The series, a warm-up for the upcoming T20 World Cup to be co-hosted by Sri Lanka and India, underlined why England remain among the contenders for the title.
Having edged the opener by 11 runs, the tourists produced another clinical display to take an unassailable 2-0 lead.
“It was an outstanding performance. We are gearing up well for the World Cup and couldn’t have asked anything better from the lads,” said England captain Harry Brook.
“Our batting looks good and so is our bowling, especially the spin department as we know spin will be a key factor playing in this part of the world.”
A rain interruption with England on 57 for two in 7.2 overs saw an original target of 190 revised to 168 in 17 overs under the DLS method.
At that stage, the hosts sensed an opening as their spinners tightened the screws and dragged England behind the required rate.
However Brook changed the complexion of the chase in the blink of an eye.
Brook launched a brutal counter-attack, smashing 36 off just 12 deliveries, peppering the stands with two fours and four towering sixes to swing the momentum firmly England’s way.
Brook’s assault reduced the equation to a manageable 39 off 27 balls and from there it was a matter of milking the bowling and punishing anything loose.
Tom Banton played the finisher’s role to perfection, anchoring the chase with a fluent 54 off 33 balls as England crossed the line with two balls to spare.
Sri Lanka had done well earlier to post 189 for five after being sent in, but against a versatile and deep England batting line-up it was always a total that needed something extra.
Openers Pathum Nissanka and Kamil Mishara provided a rollicking start, adding 56 off 33 balls, while the middle order, so brittle in the series opener, stood up to push the score to seemingly competitive heights.
Recalled in place of Dhananjaya de Silva, Pavan Rathnayake impressed with a composed 40 off 22 balls.
Sri Lanka’s struggles against spin were exposed in the first T20I, but Rathnayake addressed that Achilles’ heel with nimble footwork and smart placement, offering a glimpse of promise amid familiar concerns.
The third T20I wil be played on Tuesday.
SCOREBOARD
SRI LANKA:
P. Nissanka b Archer 34
K. Mishara c Overton b Jacks 36
K. Mendis c Rashid b Dawson 32
P. Rathnayake c Bethell b Archer 40
D. Shanaka lbw b Rashid 1
C. Asalanka not out 28
J. Liyanage not out 1
EXTRAS (B-1, LB-4, W-12) 17
TOTAL (for five wickets, 20 overs) 189
DID NOT BAT: D. Wellalage, W. Hasaranga, M. Pathirana, E. Malinga
FALL OF WICKETS: 1-56 (Nissanka), 2-106 (Mishara), 3-128 (Mendis), 4-131 (Shanaka), 5-187 (Rathnayake)
BOWLING: Curran 2-0-31-0 (2w), Archer 4-0-42-2 (2w), Jacks 4-0-24-1 (1w), Dawson 4-0-32-1, Rashid 4-0-25-1 (1w), Overton 2-0-30-0 (1w)
ENGLAND:
P. Salt c Mishara b Pathirana 1
J. Buttler c Rathnayake b Wellalage 39
J. Bethell c Mendis b Shanaka 13
T. Banton not out 54
H. Brook c Hasaranga b Pathirana 36
S. Curran not out 20
EXTRAS (B-4, NB-1, W-5) 10
TOTAL (for four wickets, 16.4 overs) 173
DID NOT BAT: W. Jacks, J. Overton, A. Rashid, L. Dawson, J. Archer
FALL OF WICKETS: 1-10 (Salt), 2-38 (Bethell), 3-81 (Buttler), 4-130 (Brook)
BOWLING: Pathirana 4-0-47-2 (3w), Shanaka 3-0-24-1, Wellalage 3-0-30-1, Malinga 1.2-0-6-0 (1nb), Hasaranga 4-0-44-0 (2w), Liyanage 1.2-0-18-0
RESULT: England won by six wickets (DLS).
PLAYER-OF-THE-MATCH: Tom Banton
Published in Dawn, February 2nd, 2026
The Pakistan cricket team on Monday arrived in Sri Lanka for the T20 World Cup, which is set to begin on February 7.
In a post on X, the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) said that a 15-player squad had arrived in the country.
“The 15-player national squad includes Captain Salman Ali Agha, Abrar Ahmed, Babar Azam, Faheem Ashraf, Fakhar Zaman, Khawaja Mohammad Naeef, Mohammad Nawaz, Mohammad Salman Mirza, Naseem Shah, Sahibzada Farhan, Saim Ayub, Shadab Khan, Shaheen Shah Afridi, Usman Khan, and Usman Tariq,” the PCB said in an earlier post, the informed of the squad’s department for the global event’s venue.
In the latest update about the aquad’s arrival in Colombo, the board said the team would rest on Monday and Tuesday.
“The team will play a warm-up match against Ireland on Feb 4,” PCB added.
The T20 World Cup, co-hosted by India and Sri Lanka, is set to begin on Feb 7.
On Sunday, the government gave the go-ahead for Pakistan’s participation in the tournament, but barred it from playing against arch-rival India on February 15.
The announcement came amid uncertainty regarding a possible boycott of the tournament over Bangladesh’s withdrawal following tensions with India.
A government source told Dawn that Pakistan had refused to play against India to express solidarity with Bangladesh. According to the government source, the primary reason for boycotting the match with India was the ICC’s “biased decision” towards Bangladesh.
BULAWAYO: India completed the semi-final line-up for the ICC Under-19 World Cup with a comprehensive 58-run win over Pakistan in Bulawayo on Sunday.
The victory in the final Super Six match at the Queens Sports Club means the Indian colts head into the knockouts unbeaten and as Group 2 toppers.
After a late surge helped them to 252 in 49.5 overs, India put in a clinical performance in the field to dismiss Pakistan for 194 in 46.2 overs.
India joined Australia, England and Afghanistan into the final four. The Ayush Mhatre-led side face Afghanistan in the semi-finals in Harare on Wednesday. The first semi-final, between Australia and England, takes place in Bulawayo on Tuesday.
Put into bat, India powered past 250 thanks to the acceleration provided by the lower order in the last 10 overs.
With a spot in the semi-final on line, India were expecting another blockbuster innings from Vaibhav Sooryavanshi. Though the left-hander gave the team a brisk start, striking five fours and a six as he motored to 30, he was living dangerously. After two close calls, Sooryavanshi fell to a shorter delivery from Mohammad Sayyam, with a bottom-edge carrying to wicket-keeper Hamza Zahoor.
Starting with Sooryavanshi, India lost three and in the space of four balls. While Sayyam also dismissed India captain Ayush Mhatre, Abdul Subhan bowled over opener Aaron George to reduce India to 47-3.
In their previous match in Bulawayo, India had scored a mammoth 352-8 against Zimbabwe. But on Sunday, the ball wasn’t coming on to the bat as well and stayed low. Vedant Trivedi led India’s fightback with 68. His 62-run fourth-wicket partnership with Vihaan Malhotra (21) helped steer India clear of immediate trouble. Trivedi also put on handy stands with Abhigyan Kundu and RS Ambrish.
After the middle order had kept the scoreboard ticking, the lower order provided the late flourish. Kanishk Chouhan (35 off 29) and Khilan Patel (21 off 15) helped India notch 71 runs in the last 10 overs, lifting the score to 252.
For Pakistan, Subhan dismissed Chouhan and Patel to finish with 3-33 in 9.5 overs.
To qualify for the semi-final at India’s expense, Pakistan needed to chase down the target within 33.4 overs; otherwise, if the innings ended with a six to reach 258, they had until 34.3 overs to get there.
Pakistan showed some early intent, scoring 13 runs off the second over. It seemed their chances hinged on Sameer Minhas, but India were able to send the star opener back fairly quickly. He was trapped leg before wicket by Henil Patel.
Following the early setback, Pakistan never showed any urgency to make a run for the semi-final spot. Hamza Zahoor (42), Usman Khan (66) and captain Farhan Yousuf (38) hung in there gamely even as runs slowed down to a trickle.
Chouhan conceded 30 runs off his 10 overs and claimed the wicket of Zahoor and was named the player-of-the-match. Skipper Mhatre claimed three wickets for 21 in his overs while Khilan Patel got 3-35.
Published in Dawn, February 2nd, 2026
The Pakistan cricket team on Monday departed for Sri Lanka for the T20 World Cup, which is set to begin on February 7.
In a post on X, the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) said that a 15-player squad was departing for Sri Lanka.
“The 15-player national squad includes Captain Salman Ali Agha, Abrar Ahmed, Babar Azam, Faheem Ashraf, Fakhar Zaman, Khawaja Mohammad Naeef, Mohammad Nawaz, Mohammad Salman Mirza, Naseem Shah, Sahibzada Farhan, Saim Ayub, Shadab Khan, Shaheen Shah Afridi, Usman Khan, and Usman Tariq,” the PCB said.
It said that the team would rest on Monday and Tuesday.
“The team will play a warm-up match against Ireland on Feb 4,” PCB added.
The T20 World Cup, co-hosted by India and Sri Lanka, is set to begin on Feb 7.
On Sunday, the government gave the go-ahead for Pakistan’s participation in the tournament, but barred it from playing against arch-rival India on February 15.
The announcement came amid uncertainty regarding a possible boycott of the tournament over Bangladesh’s withdrawal following tensions with India.
A government source told Dawn that Pakistan had refused to play against India to express solidarity with Bangladesh. According to the government source, the primary reason for boycotting the match with India was the ICC’s “biased decision” towards Bangladesh.
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