A battling display from Phil Salt lit up Pallekele as England reached 146 for 9 against Sri Lanka in a crucial T20 World Cup 2026 Super 8 match. After Shanaka called correctly and bowled first, England faltered early with Buttler’s dismissal for 7 runs in 14 balls, leaving Salt to rebuild.
The opener rose to the occasion, smashing 62 off 40 with elegant fours and towering sixes. Partnerships with Bethell (16 runs), Banton (17), Brook (19), and Curran (26—the longest) propelled England forward. Jacks’ 21 off 14, full of boundaries, offered a late surge.
Sri Lanka’s attack was clinical: Wellalage’s 3/26 topped the charts, Madushanka and Theekshana bagged two each, Chameera one. Brook’s England side, packed with Buttler (wk), Curran, Overton, Dawson, Archer, and Rashid, now eyes a strong bowling effort.
Shanaka’s hosts fielded a balanced XI with Nissanka, Mishara, Mendis (wk), Rathnayake, K. Mendis, Wellalage, Hemantha, Chameera, Theekshana, and Madushanka. The chase looms large—can Sri Lanka capitalize on home soil, or will England’s pace and spin prevail? Stay tuned for what could be a group-deciding thriller.