Sam Curran takes a hat-trick as England win their opening T20 match against Sri Lanka

Sam Curran took a hat-trick as England began their T20 World Cup preparations by easing to an 11-run DLS win in the series opener against Sri Lanka.

Curran became only the second England bowler to score an international T20 hat-trick after Chris Jordan when he blew away Sri Lanka’s lower order to help restrict the hosts to 133 all out.

Adil Rashid had earlier fooled the Sri Lankan batters in Kandy as he claimed three for 19 from his four overs in a stunning performance that decimated the hosts’ innings.

Phil Salt made the most of two lives to lead England’s chase with 46, before rain brought an early end to proceedings with England at 125 for four – 11 ahead under the DLS method.

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Rain

Harry Brook’s side will begin their bid for their third World T20 crown against Nepal on February 8 in Mumbai.

If, as they should, England progress against the group consisting of the West Indies, Scotland, Nepal and Italy, their Super 8 matches will be held in Sri Lanka – both here in Kandy and in Colombo, where they won the ODI series earlier this week.

This series of three matches is therefore an important preparation for a tournament where England has the ambition to win.

Pre-match rain, described by locals as ‘unseasonal’, reduced the match to 17 overs-a-side at the Pallekele International Stadium.

Yield

England won the toss and asked Sri Lanka to bat.

Jofra Archer was back in an England shirt following his surprise inclusion, having initially been scheduled to return to the World Cup after a side strain curtailed his Ashes series.

He announced his return with an 80mph yorker and almost had a wicket in his first over, but Kamil Mishara was dropped by Liam Dawson.

Dawson picked up Mishara from Jamie Overton in the next over, but Sri Lanka started well by reaching 51 for one from the shortened 5.1-over powerplay.

Curran’s victims

Kusal Mendis hit 20 from the seventh over that Curran – whose first two overs made 35 – hit, but England took five wickets in as many overs as Sri Lanka fell from 76 for one to 98 for six.

Pathum Nissanka fell to Adil Rashid and Charith Asalanka was superbly caught by Jacob Bethell at Dawson.

Spinners Rashid and Dawson bowled beautifully, the former dismissing Mendis for 37 before Dawson trapped Janith Liyanage for one and Rashid stunned Dhananjaya de Silva as he skied one to depart for 11.

Dasun Shanaka hit 20 but he was the first of Curran’s victims before the left-armer had Maheesh take Theekshana and then spread Eshan Malinga’s stumps to get his hat-trick.

Record-equalling

Set 134 to win, opener Jos Buttler strode to the crease for a record-equalling performance in England.

The 35-year-old tied James Anderson’s 401 appearances across all formats and will look to continue on his own in Sunday’s match.

His opening partner Phil Salt is the second-ranked T20 batsman in the world and showed why when he launched the first ball of the chase for six and the next two for four.

Buttler joined the party with four straight boundaries off Malinga, but the seamer bowled him for 17 with a slower ball.

Driving

Jacob Bethell fell for nine and Mishara then crucially dropped Salt on 17.

Tom Banton got England moving again by smashing Wanindu Hasaranga with two sixes in the eighth over before Salt was dropped again on 27.

Asalanka brilliantly caught Banton for 29 to leave England 87 for three, leaving Brook in trouble – fresh from his 136 off 66 balls in Tuesday’s third ODI.

Salt fired England to victory but fell short of an eighth T20 fifty as he was eventually caught off Shanaka before the rain returned.

READ MORE: Jofra Archer included in the England squad that will face Sri Lanka in the first T20