England rode on Sam Curran’s stunning hat-trick and a quiet chase under DLS to beat Sri Lanka in the first T20I in Pallekele and go 1-0 up in the series.
Sri Lanka looked set early after racing to 76 for 1 in the powerplay with their batters taking the new ball. The momentum did not last long as England’s spinners and cutters slowed the game down considerably.
The collapse came quickly. Sri Lanka were bowled out for 133 in just 16.2 overs, losing nine wickets for 57 runs after that strong start. The middle order failed to adapt as the field started to gain traction.
Sam Curran turned the match on its head in the 16th over. He removed Dasun Shanaka, Maheesh Theekshana and Matheesha Pathirana from consecutive balls to claim a hat-trick. Curran became only the second Englishman to score a hat-trick.
Adil Rashid was tight and smart during his spell, finishing with 3 for 19. Liam Dawson and Jamie Overton supported him well with two wickets each. Jofra Archer returned to international cricket but went wicketless on his comeback.
Rain reduced England’s chase to 17 overs, putting a new twist on the night. England started steadily, knowing that the DLS target was always within reach if the wickets were managed well.
Phil Salt anchored the innings with a composite 46 off 35 balls, finding gaps rather than forcing shots. Tom Banton added pace to the chase with a smooth 29 off just 15 balls.
There was a brief wobble as Eshan Malinga hit back. He dismissed Jos Buttler and Jacob Bethell with slower balls after being hit for boundaries, giving Sri Lanka a late sniff.
Rain returned again with England at 125 for 4 after 15 overs. At that stage, England were 11 points ahead of the DLS par score, sealing victory and the early series lead.
The match, played under stop-start conditions at Pallekele, summed up England’s control. Sri Lanka’s bright opening was canceled out by smart bowling and calm decision-making at pressure moments.
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