T20 World Cup 2021 England vs Sri Lanka: Who won yesterday's match?

Jos Buttler registered his maiden T20I hundred as England made it four in four with a hard-fought 26-run victory over Sri Lanka in Match 29 of the T20 World Cup 2021 in Sharjah on Monday. With the win, England also confirmed their spot in the semi-finals.

Sent into bat after losing the toss, England found themselves in early trouble at 35 for 3. However, Buttler remained unbeaten on a sublime 101 off 67 balls to push England to a competitive 163 for 4. After a brief fight, Sri Lanka folded for 137.

Chasing the target, Sri Lanka crumbled to 40 for 3 by the end of the powerplay. The Lankans got off to a horror start as Pathum Nissanka (1) was run out in the first over, attempting a tight single. Kusal Perera nudged one towards square leg and both batters set off. However, Eoin Morgan’s throw was too good for Nissanka.

Charith Asalanka looked good once again, striking a four and a six off the second over bowled by Chris Woakes. He was impressive against Moeen Ali as well, helping himself to a couple of more boundaries.

However, Asalanka yet again failed to convert his start. Trying to take on Adil Rashid, he holed out to mid-off for 21. Perera’s horror run with the bat continued as he miscued a googly from Rashid and was caught for 7, leaving Sri Lanka in big trouble.

Bhanuka Rajapaksa came in and lofted Liam Livingstone for a six over the bowler’s head. England could have had a fourth and Rashid his third in the eighth over. However, Woakes couldn't hold on to a catch off a mistimed slog-sweep from Rajapaksa at deep square leg. England's bowlers, though, kept coming at Sri Lanka. There was no respite for Avishka Fernando from his string of low scores. He was trapped plumb in front by Chris Jordan for 13 with a full, straight delivery.

Following the break at the halfway stage of the innings, Rajapaksa gave Sri Lanka brief hope by smashing Woakes for a six and a four. After clobbering a length ball into the stands over midwicket, he eased the next one past mid-off. However, Woakes had sweet revenge as Rajapaksa (26) miscued an off-cutter to long-on.

Hasaranga came in and looked in good form. He began the 14th over by clubbing Tymal Mills for a straight six high over the bowler’s head. The injury-prone England left-arm seamer pulled up midway through the over and walked off the field, forcing Woakes to finish the over. In the next over, Dasun Shanaka skipped down the track and swung Liam Livingstone for maximum over cow corner. With five overs to go, Sri Lanka needed 51 with five wickets in hand.

Hasaranga was looking in ominous touch, and it needed a brilliant piece of fielding from Jason Roy to end his innings on 34. The Sri Lankan all-rounder drove Livingstone uppishly towards wide long-off. Roy covered a lot of ground near the boundary, took the catch and then flicked the ball to Sam Billings before his foot touched the ropes.

Lanka’s hopes were all but dashed as their skipper Shanaka (26) was run out by Buttler, who was having an unforgettable day. The batter dabbed a delivery from Jordan behind the wickets and attempted a sharp single. But the ball was too close to the keeper, who pounced on it and hit the bullseye before Shanaka get could back to safety.

England then wrapped up the tail in no time to carry on their winning momentum.

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Buttler ton lifts England to 163 for 4 after Hasaranga’s early strikes

Jos Buttler plays a shot against Sri Lanka. Pic: Getty Images

Jos Buttler smashed a scintillating hundred as England recovered from 35 for 3 to post a challenging 163 for 4. The in-form England opener hammered an unbeaten 101 off 67 balls, slamming six fours and as many sixes. The last of the maximums came from the final delivery of the innings as Buttler brought up his maiden T20I hundred and the first century of the ongoing T20 World Cup.

The aggressive England wicketkeeper-batter and skipper Eoin Morgan (40 off 36) featured in a fourth-wicket stand of 112 to help the team recover from early blows. Sri Lankan leg-spinner Wanindu Hasaranga claimed three of the four England wickets to fall.

After Sri Lanka opted to bowl first after winning the toss, Hasaranga struck in the second over. He cleaned up Jason Roy (9) with a googly that skidded on as the England opener missed his sweep. Dushmantha Chameera then cleaned up Dawid Malan for 6.

Hasaranga put England in deep trouble by trapping Jonny Bairstow (0) lbw with a wrong'un. The England batter completely missed the ball as he skipped down the track. Sri Lanka had to take the review but got the ‘not out’ decision overturned.

Buttler was warming up at the other end. In the 13th over, he slapped Chamika Karunaratne for a four through mid-on and then whacked a slower ball over midwicket for a maximum. The 31-year-old brought up a patient fifty off 45 balls, the slowest half-century for an England batter in the T20 World Cup but an extremely crucial one under the circumstances.

In the 15th over bowled by Lahiru Kumara, Buttler brought out his natural game, clobbering the Sri Lankan pacer for two sixes. The over began by Morgan dancing down the track and lofting Kumara for a maximum over cover. Buttler followed suit by launching a half-volley over wide long-off. The over, which cost Sri Lanka 22, ended with the England opener smacking a slower ball straight over the bowler’s head.

In his element, Buttler took on Sri Lankan captain Dasun Shanaka and helped himself to two sixes and a four in the 18th over. The penultimate over began with Morgan clobbering Hasaranga for a six over long-off. The Sri Lankan spinner had his revenge next ball as he castled the England captain with a googly.

Morgan had done a good job though, making a significant contribution with the bat after a long time. After Buttler was dropped in the last over, he brought up his hundred in style, carving an inviting full toss from Chameera over the square leg fence.

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England vs Sri Lanka: Who won Player of the Match in yesterday's T20 World Cup 2021 match?

Buttler was too good for Sri Lanka on the day. After displaying immense patience in the first half of his innings, he cut loose and lifted England to what proved to be a match-winning total. Rashid (2/19) and Jordan (2/24) then claimed key scalps to hurt Sri Lanka in the chase.

For the Lankans, Hasaranga’s brilliant all-round show was in vain. He picked up three scalps and scored a defiant 34 in the chase.

The Player of the Match was a simple choice, with Buttler walking away with the honors for his stupendous innings.