In a surprising turn of events at the World Cup, Sri Lanka delivered a resounding blow to England, defeating the reigning champions by eight wickets in Bengaluru on Thursday, October 26. While this outcome may not be considered a major upset, it marked a significant role reversal, as England suffered their fourth loss in the tournament, leaving their title defense in jeopardy.
Technically, it wasn’t a shock, as Sri Lanka had a history of winning against England in the previous four editions of this contest. The game’s outcome was effectively sealed at the halfway point when England managed only 156 runs after opting to bat. From there, Sri Lanka displayed exceptional composure to secure the win.
David Willey did provide a glimmer of hope for England with his early wickets in the Powerplay, removing Kusal Perera and Kusal Mendis. However, Pathum Nissanka and Sadeera Samarawickrama’s unbroken partnership of 137 runs steered Sri Lanka to victory without further setbacks. With such a modest target to defend, the English bowlers faced an uphill task on a pitch that became increasingly batsman-friendly as the match progressed. The Nissanka-Samarawickrama partnership was a masterclass in aggressive strokeplay as they dominated the bowling attack.
The fact that Sri Lanka achieved the target with half the allotted overs left speaks volumes. It’s difficult to harshly criticize England’s bowlers, given the meager total they had to defend. What ultimately derailed England’s campaign was their batting performance earlier in the day.
The Chinnaswamy pitch on the day played differently from the usual high-scoring tracks, offering a slower pace and the occasional tricky bounce. England’s approach seemed ill-suited to the conditions. The reigning champions had aimed for a big score, a tactic that had worked well for other teams in the tournament, but they miscalculated the pitch conditions.
The first five overs of England’s innings appeared promising, with Dawid Malan and Jonny Bairstow hitting boundaries. However, the introduction of Angelo Mathews and Maheesh Theekshana changed the game. Mathews provided the crucial breakthrough, dismissing Malan and contributing to Joe Root’s run-out. Theekshana maintained pressure, while Lahiru Kumara and Kasun Rajitha dismantled the rest of the English batting lineup. Ben Stokes displayed some resistance, but even he struggled to find his usual rhythm. It was a batting collapse that left England with no way back.
In summary, England’s total of 156 was well below par, and Sri Lanka capitalized on this by achieving a comfortable victory, leaving England’s title defense prospects uncertain.
Brief scores: England 156 in 33.2 overs (Ben Stokes 43; Lahiru Kumara 3-35, Angelo Mathews 2-14) lost to Sri Lanka 160/2 in 25.4 overs (Pathum Nissanka 77*, Sadeera Samarawickrama 65*) by eight wickets.
- Disclaimer: The prediction is based on the understanding, analysis, and instinct of the author. While making your prediction, consider the points mentioned, and make your own decision.
