ENG vs SL, T20 World Cup 2026: Phil Salt, England bowlers step up to sink Sri Lanka in Super 8

The England cricket team defeated Sri Lanka by 51 runs to open their Group 2 campaign in the Super 8 of the T20 World Cup 2026 at the Pallekele International Cricket Stadium in Kandy on Sunday.

Phil Salt top-scored with a 40-ball 62 to help the world No. 2 England post 146/9. Dunith Wellalage picked up the wickets of Jos Buttler, Harry Brook and Salt to finish with figures of 3/26 from his four overs.

Sri Lanka, eighth in the ICC T20 team rankings, never recovered from five early blows in the powerplay and were bowled out on 95 in 16.4 overs. Will Jacks (3/22) was the pick of the bowlers for England.

The win placed England on top of Super 8 Group 2 with two points. Pakistan and New Zealand, with a point each, are tied in second place while Sri Lanka are placed at the bottom. The top two teams from the group will qualify for the T20 World Cup semi-finals.

Sri Lanka’s pursuit of 147 stumbled out of the blocks as the in-form Pathum Nissanka, Kusal Mendis and Pavan Rathnayake were all dismissed inside the first four overs, leaving the hosts reeling early in the chase.

Kamil Mishara and Dunith Wellalage were also dismissed in the final two overs of the powerplay, deepening Sri Lanka’s early implosion as the hosts lost their entire top order and were left desperately searching for a stabilising partnership.

Sri Lankan captain Dasun Shanaka made a battling 30 of 24 balls. However, wickets continued to tumble as they failed to build any partnership of substance and the chase unravelled.

Shanaka eventually fell in the 15th over, effectively extinguishing any hopes of a late fightback.

Earlier, after being put into bat first, England never found any momentum against Sri Lanka’s disciplined bowling attack. Jos Buttler and Jacob Bethell were both dismissed inside the powerplay.

Phil Salt fought a lone battle for England, raising a gritty fifty off 36 balls in the 13th over.

After reaching the milestone, Phil Salt briefly lifted the tempo with a four and a six in the 14th over, but perished in the 15th, having heaved one straight to long-off as England found themselves on 106/6.

Will Jacks found a couple of boundaries and Jamie Overton cleared the ropes late but England mustered just 40 runs from the final five overs.

England will play Pakistan at the same venue in their second Super 8 match on Tuesday.

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