A composed century-plus stand for the third wicket between Pathum Nissanka and Sadeera Samarawickrama guided Sri Lanka to a comfortable seven-wicket victory over England in the Cricket World Cup 2023 match at the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru on Sunday.
Sri Lanka produced a clinical all-round performance to beat England by seven wickets in the Cricket World Cup 2023 match at the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru on Sunday. After bowling England out for 259 in 49.5 overs, Sri Lanka chased down the target with 10 overs to spare, thanks to a superb century-plus stand between Pathum Nissanka and Sadeera Samarawickrama.
Nissanka and Samarawickrama came together at the crease with Sri Lanka in a spot of bother at 57/2 in the 11th over. However, the duo played cautiously and intelligently to build a solid partnership. They rotated the strike well and punished any loose deliveries from the English bowlers.
Nissanka reached his fifty off 72 balls, while Samarawickrama brought up his half-century off 68 balls. The pair continued to play positively and took Sri Lanka closer to the target. Nissanka was eventually dismissed for 80 off 88 balls, but Samarawickrama remained unbeaten on 74 off 76 balls to guide Sri Lanka to victory.
In addition to Nissanka and Samarawickrama’s brilliant batting, Sri Lanka’s bowlers also played a crucial role in the victory. Wanindu Hasaranga was the pick of the bowlers with three wickets, while Maheesh Theekshana and Chamika Karunaratne picked up two wickets each.
Sri Lanka’s batting masterclass
Sri Lanka’s batting performance in the chase was simply outstanding. Nissanka and Samarawickrama played with great maturity and composure to build a match-winning partnership. They showed excellent discipline and patience, and were never in a hurry to score runs.
Nissanka played a particularly fine innings. He was solid in defence and played some delightful shots on the off-side. Samarawickrama, on the other hand, was more aggressive in his approach. He hit some powerful shots through the off-side and leg-side.
The duo also complemented each other very well. They rotated the strike well and ran the singles and twos with ease. They put England under immense pressure and never allowed them to stage a comeback.
England’s bowling woes
England’s bowling performance in the chase was disappointing. They failed to pick up regular wickets and allowed Nissanka and Samarawickrama to build a big partnership. The English bowlers were also guilty of bowling too many loose deliveries.
Chris Woakes was the only English bowler who looked threatening. He picked up two wickets and bowled economically. However, the other bowlers were simply not up to the mark.
Conclusion
Sri Lanka’s victory over England was a well-deserved one. They were the better team in all three departments of the game. Sri Lanka’s batting was outstanding, their bowling was incisive, and their fielding was sharp.
England, on the other hand, need to improve their performance in all three departments. Their bowling was particularly disappointing. They need to find a way to pick up regular wickets, especially in the middle overs.
Sri Lanka’s victory will be a big boost to their confidence. They will now be looking to carry this momentum into their next match against South Africa on Wednesday.
Other highlights of the match
- Wanindu Hasaranga was named the Player of the Match for his brilliant bowling performance. He took three wickets and conceded only 48 runs in his 10 overs.
- Sri Lanka’s fielding was also excellent. They took some brilliant catches and saved a few crucial runs.
- England’s batsmen struggled to get going in the first innings. Only Joe Root (73) and Jos Buttler (53) scored half-centuries.
Overall, it was a clinical performance from Sri Lanka to beat England by seven wickets in the Cricket World Cup 2023 match at the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru on Sunday. Sri Lanka’s batting masterclass was the highlight of the match, while England’s bowling woes continued.