The best way Sri Lankan batters surrendered in entrance of the England bowlers on February 22 on the Pallekele Worldwide Cricket Stadium in Balagolla makes the Lankan legend Angelo Mathews perplexed. He took to his official ‘X’ account to specific his disappointment proper after the match.
On Sunday, Sri Lanka was up towards England for his or her opening match of the Tremendous 8 of the continuing ICC T20 World Cup 2026. Sri Lanka, the co-host of the match, displayed top-notch cricket within the group stage and was the favourite to defeat England as properly as we speak.
Sri Lanka was the entrance runner to win the match
On Balagolla, England’s batting order collapsed in entrance of the house workforce’s bowling assault. Dunith Wellalage’s 3-wicket determine and Maheesh Theekshana and Dilshan Madushanka’s brace every restricted England to 146 runs in alternate for 9 wickets in 20 overs.
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As a number of Sri Lankan batters had been in high kind, and the goal was trying inadequate to be protected, many cricket consultants and followers believed that the cricket workforce of the island nation would outclass England with ease.
Momentum shifted as soon as England went to bowl
As soon as the second innings of the match kicked off, issues began to form in a totally completely different method, proving many of the predictions flawed. Pathum Nissanka, who smashed a ton towards Australia and is among the many main run scorers within the match, was dismissed cheaply.
Kusal Mendis, Dunith Wellalage, Pavan Rathnayake, Kamindu Mendis, and the opposite stars of the Sri Lankan batting mixture come and go, with out placing any notable efforts to avoid wasting the workforce.
Captain Dasun Shanaka tried arduous to carry one finish of the crease, however his 30-run knock was not sufficient towards England’s 146. As quickly as Shanaka went out, all of Sri Lanka’s hope to win the match vanished inside seconds. The island nation folded for under 95, and England gained by 51 runs.
Horrible: Angelo Mathews
Former Sri Lanka captain Angelo Mathews could not imagine what he witnessed. Mathews, who’s now working as a commentator and a cricket skilled within the match, described the second as ‘horrible.’ He slams the batters for not performing sensibly.
“OMG! No phrases! Pathetic batting by Sri Lanka. After bowling so properly, no batter wished to bat sensibly and get Sri Lanka residence! “Horrible,” the previous cricketer expressed himself.
OMG! No phrases! Pathetic batting by srilanka. After bowling so properly and no batter wished to bat sensibly and get srilanka residence ! Horrible
— Angelo Mathews (@Angelo69Mathews) February 22, 2026
England all-rounder Will Jacks was named because the participant of the match for his contribution each with bat and ball. With the bat, he added an essential 21 off 14, and with the ball, he dismissed Kusal Mendis, Rathnayake, and Wellalage to say the sport.
“We performed badly. All of the bowlers on our facet bowled properly; it is not that they (England) bowled rather well. “We performed some rash photographs in crucial intervals,” Dasun Shanaka, the Sri Lanka captain, mentioned after the match.
Learn Extra: Dushan Hemantha loses his wicket in a weird vogue as England run riot towards Sri Lanka
