Sri Lanka vs England: ICC Cricket World Cup 2023

In a thrilling encounter at the ICC Cricket World Cup 2023, Sri Lanka delivered a masterclass, defeating the reigning champions, England, by eight wickets. The ‘do-or-die’ match saw England’s batting lineup crumble, leaving cricket enthusiasts astounded by their underwhelming performance in this World Cup. This unexpected loss has dashed England’s hopes of reaching the semi-finals, marking their fourth defeat in five matches while granting Sri Lanka their second victory.

Sri Lanka’s Remarkable Chase

Chasing a target of 157 runs set by England, Sri Lanka showcased their batting prowess by reaching 160 for the loss of only two wickets in 25.4 overs. Opener Pathum Nissanka played a magnificent innings, remaining unbeaten with 77 runs, while Sadeera Samarwickrma contributed 65 runs off 45 balls. Nissanka’s fourth consecutive half-century steadied Sri Lanka’s innings after an early hiccup, with the pair of Nissanka and Samarawickrama playing sensibly and guiding their team to a crucial win.

Also Read: David Warner’s Spectacular Century in World Cup 2023 Equals Sachin Tendulkar

England’s Struggles at the Crease

Winning the toss and opting to bat first, England found themselves in dire straits, collapsing for a mere 156 runs in 33.2 overs. Ben Stokes was the lone standout, top-scoring with 43 runs off 73 balls. However, apart from Stokes, no English batsman managed to make a significant impact. Fast bowler Lahiru Kumara was the star of the show for Sri Lanka, claiming three wickets for 35 runs, while Angelo Mathews and Kasun Rajita took two wickets each.

England’s Innings Unravel

England’s innings began with promise as Dawid Malan (28 runs) and Jonny Bairstow (30 runs) provided an aggressive start, adding 45 runs for the first wicket. Unfortunately, after this partnership broke, England’s innings unraveled rapidly, and they found themselves at 85 runs with half their team back in the pavilion. Malan was the first to depart, followed by Joe Root (03), who was run out, and captain Jos Buttler (08), who was caught behind. Bairstow’s untimely dismissal further compounded England’s woes, giving an easy catch to Dhananjay de Silva at mid-on.

Stokes’s Fighting Spirit

Ben Stokes displayed remarkable resilience by scoring 43 runs, but he was given a life when Sadira Samarawickrama dropped a catch when Stokes was on 12 runs. Stokes capitalized on this opportunity and played some captivating shots before ultimately getting caught on the boundary line by Kumara’s delivery. The fall of Stokes’s wicket marked the beginning of the end for England’s innings, with David Willey remaining unbeaten after contributing 14 runs.

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