England completed a 3-0 T20 series sweep over Sri Lanka after a stunning fightback saw them snatch a 12-run win in a low-scoring dead rubber in Pallekele.
Harry Brook’s decision to bat first after winning the toss – having fielded first in their previous two wins – initially looked to have backfired, as England slumped to 60-6 on a slow wicket at the Pallekele Cricket Stadium.
Sam Curran top-scored with 58 from 48 deliveries, while opener Jos Buttler (25) and Liam Dawson (14) were the only other players to reach double figures, as career-best figures from Dushmantha Chameera (5-24) helped limit England to 128-9 from their 20 overs.
England’s Sam Curran (left) and Liam Dawson (right) added a 47-run stand for the seventh wicket
Sri Lanka appeared in charge until Kusal Mendis (26) and Pavan Rathnayake (13) fell in successive balls to leave them 62-4, with Will Jacks (3-14) then taking key scalps of Kamindu Mendis (14) and Janith Liyanage (17) to leave them six down and still 32 runs from victory.
The hosts’ hopes were thrown into disarray when Jacob Bethell (4-11) took three wickets in five balls, with Bethell then removing Maheesh Theekshana to see Sri Lanka bowled out for 116 during the final over.
England’s narrow victory was their lowest successful defence in T20 cricket and follows wins by 11 runs (on DLS) and six wickets (on DLS), with a series sweep a timely boost ahead of the T20 World Cup this month.
How England completed series sweep
Ben Duckett – brought in after Phil Salt reported back spasms in the warm-up – was trapped lbw by Chameera for a first-ball duck, with Bethell (3) misjudging a slower ball and caught behind off Matheesha Pathirana.
Ben Duckett was one of two changes to the England team from Sunday’s victory in the second T20I
Tom Banton (7) was bowled after trying to heave Wellalage and Brook (4) chipped to Liyanage at extra cover, while Buttler (25) was then beaten by a turning Theekshana (1-16) delivery to leave England reeling at 47-5.
Jacks (3) spooned a slower Chameera ball to leave England in danger of posting their lowest-ever T20I total, before Curran and Liam Dawson produced a 41-ball stand that pushed the tourists past 100.
Sam Curran top-scored for England after scoring his second T20I half-century
Dawson (14) skied to Mendis in the deep and Jamie Overton (2) in the same over to Chameera, who completed his five-wicket haul when Curran picked out third man with the penultimate ball of England’s innings.
Luke Wood – replacing the rested Jofra Archer – struck in the opening over as Duckett took a low catch to dismiss Kamil Mishara (0), with Nissanka (23) dropped on three by Bethell in the deep as he pushed the ball for a maximum.
![England's Luke Wood, right, celebrates with teammates the wicket of Sri Lanka's Kamil Mishara during the third T20 [Associated PRess]](https://e0.365dm.com/26/02/768x432/skysports-luke-wood-sam-curran_7154599.jpg?20260203155049)
Luke Wood claimed a wicket in the opening over of Sri Lanka’s chase
Nissanka’s 12-ball cameo ended after miscuing Dawson and picking out Jacks (3-14), with momentum moving England’s way when Adil Rashid’s googly removed Rathnayake (13) and Mendis lobbed Jacks to short leg to end their 28-run partnership.
Jacks offered England further hope by getting Mendis lbw and then seeing Liyanage slog sweep him to Bethell in the deep, with Sri Lanka requiring 21 runs from their final three overs before Bethell’s late burst of wickets.
A lunging catch from Buttler to get Wellalage (9) was followed by Chameera being removed without scoring and Shanaka (4) stumped in the same Bethell over, with a remarkable collapse completed when Theekshana (2) top-edged to Dawson at short third.
Brook celebrates ‘fun win’ as England find pre-World Cup confidence
England captain Harry Brook: “That was a great win to be a part of, one of the most fun wins I have ever had. The way the boys kept fighting and giving it their all was awesome.
“We have shown we can adapt to surfaces. It was a tricky pitch to bat on tonight but Curran got us to a decent total. Then for the spinners to do that to Sri Lanka in their own country was awesome.”
England’s spinners saw Sri Lanka collapse from 62-2 to 1116 all out
England’s Sam Curran, Player of the Match and also Player of the Series: “We knew it was going to be difficult playing on the same wicket for the third time so we felt 135, 140 was a decent score.
“We have some amazing spinners and it was a really fun game. We take a lot of confidence [into the T20 World Cup]. We have been challenged in a lot of areas on different surfaces and should be proud of 3-0. It was a fantastic series win.”
Sri Lanka captain Dasun Shanaka: “We are very disappointed. We could have taken it deeper. There are a lot of positives – Chameera and Theekshana bowled well – but we need to improve at the World Cup.
“Playing spin is a concern. That is the mindset, we desperately want to deliver something special.”
England in Sri Lanka – results and fixtures
All times UK and Ireland
England’s T20 World Cup fixtures (first round)
All times UK and Ireland; all games live on Sky Sports
vs Nepal (Sunday February 8) – Mumbai (9.30am)vs West Indies (Wednesday February 11) – Mumbai (1.30pm)vs Scotland (Saturday February 14) – Kolkata (9.30am)vs Italy (Monday February 16) – Kolkata (9.30am)
Watch every match of the Men’s T20 World Cup live from February 7 to March 8 on Sky Sports. Get Sky Sports or stream contract-free with NOW.
