England secure T20 series lead with dominant chase in Cardiff
Tom Banton’s unbeaten half-century and Liam Dawson’s three-wicket haul helped England restrict Sri Lanka to 145-9, sealing a six-wicket victory with a match to spare.
England have taken a 2-0 lead in the three-match T20 series against Sri Lanka after a commanding performance in Cardiff. The hosts chased a target of 146 in just 12.1 overs to win by six wickets, extending their unbeaten run in the shortest format this summer.
Tom Banton anchored the chase with an aggressive unbeaten 52 off 24 balls, including four sixes. His innings followed a rapid start from the opening pair, Jos Buttler and Aneurin Donald, who shared a 51-run stand in 4.3 overs before both were dismissed within four balls of each other.
Captain Harry Brook provided a brief spark, scoring 23 off eight balls, but fell short of Tilak Varma’s record for most T20 international runs without dismissal. Brook was caught by Eshan Malinga after hitting three sixes, a dismissal that shifted the momentum firmly to Banton.
In the first innings, Liam Dawson disrupted Sri Lanka’s momentum by taking two wickets in the final over of the powerplay. He finished with figures of 3-32, while Jamie Overton added 2-23. Sri Lanka’s innings ended at 145-9, with the team managing only 12 runs from the final four overs.
Sri Lanka had started brightly, reaching 55-0 from the first five overs, but their middle order failed to recover. Pathum Nissanka top-scored with 37, but the team’s inability to convert early runs into a competitive total proved decisive.
The series concludes at Old Trafford on Saturday, followed by three one-day internationals. England’s current form includes a 4-0 series victory over India earlier in the year, and they have won 22 of their past 25 completed T20s since the start of last summer.
