The current ICC World Cup saw some exceptional contest put forth by both teams competing in a match to advance in the game and make their respective nations proudly stand out. On 21st June, when England clashed with Sri Lanka, both teams were giving their best resulting in an engaging contest, in which Sri Lankan bowlers put on a brilliant show to restrict England before they could reach the victory line.
After deciding to bat on winning the toss, Sri Lankan’s batsmen were unable get the desired start they wanted. On the other hand, England got the perfect start with Jofra Archer and Mark Wood striking early wickets of the Sri Lankan openers. However, Avishka Fernando (49 out; 39b; 5X4, 2X6) and Kushal Mendis (46 out; 68b; 2X4) got the situation under control, with a much needed partnership. But Fernando falls 1 run short of his half century in some time. Along with Angelo Mathews, Kushal Mendis kept hanging on to the partnership but the duo was eventually consuming too many deliveries to get to a good target. England regained their momentum once more, when Adil Rashid knocked set batsmen Kushal Mendis out and in the next ball scalps new batsmen Jeevan Mendis. Dhananjaya de Silva (29 out; 47b; 1X4) added a few more runs, but Angelo Mathews (85 not out; 115b; 5X4, 1X6) on the other hand stayed at the crease till the end without much help from the other side registering 232 runs with the loss of 9 wickets in 50 overs.
In the second half, Sri Lankan bowlers came back with tremendous attack and variations to baffle the English batting line-up. Leading the bowling attacks, Lasith Malinga bowled a fierce spell to throttle England batsmen throughout the game even knocking Jonny Bairstow’s wicket in the 2nd ball of the innings. Malinga gave England another jolt in the 7th over, by the scalping James Vince (14 out; 18b; 2X4) the remaining opener. Joe Root (57 out; 89b; 3X4) along with captain Eoin Morgan (21 out; 35b; 2X4) settled for a slow and calculating partnership but eventually Morgan falls prey to Isuru Udana without any heroics to offer this time. With Ben Stokes walking in the middle, England got their hope back. However, after Root’s dismissal in 31st over, the rest of team crumbled without contributing much, while Ben Stokes kept pushing the score, and delivered an equally smart fight to guide England till their last wicket and managed to reduce the increasing run rate as well. But Sri Lanka’s exceptional bowling paid off in the end, with 20 more runs to score from 19 balls, Mark Wood faces Nuwan Pradeep’s last ball of the over while on the hand, Ben Stokes (82 not out; 89b; 7X4, 4X6) had managed to hit 2 boundaries of Pradeep’s same over, but Wood trying to just defend the ball nicks it and it carries to keeper to end the solitary fight provided by Stokes for England as Sri Lanka became victorious ceasing all of England’s wickets.
