Cricket-Banton, Brook help England battle past Sri Lanka to clinch series win

Tom Banton's unbeaten half-century and Harry Brook's explosive knock steered England to a series-winning six-wicket victory against ‌Sri Lanka in a rain-affected Twenty20 clash on Sunday less than a week before the start of T20 World Cup. Put in to ⁠bat first, Sri Lanka posted 189-5, and England faced an adjusted target of 168 in 17 overs after rain held up the match for almost an hour. The visitors won with two ​balls to spare, taking an unassailable 2-0 lead in the three-match series.

Opener Pathum Nissanka (34 ‍off 22) got Sri Lanka off to a fast start until Jofra Archer (2-42) bowled him, but Kusal Mendis (32 off 17) and Pavan Rathnayake (40 off 22) ensured that the hosts got to a competitive total. Pacer Matheesha Pathirana (2-47) dismissed ⁠England ‌opener Phil Salt in ⁠the first over and Jacob Bethell (13) fell to Dasun Shanaka in the fifth over, leaving the twice T20 ‍World Cup winners struggling at 38-2 as Sri Lanka smelled a chance to bounce back after Friday's ​loss.

But Banton, in at four, led the charge with captain Brook as England scored ⁠double digits in seven overs straight. Brook hit two boundaries and four sixes to score 36 off just 12 ⁠balls before he got caught trying to scoop a short delivery over the wicketkeeper's head. Banton hit three sixes and four boundaries to score 54 off 33 balls in a player-of-the-match ⁠performance, as Sam Curran cleared the long-on boundary to pick up the winning runs, taking ⁠England to 173-4.

England and ‌Sri Lanka will play again on Tuesday in their last game before both teams kick off their T20 World Cup campaigns next Sunday ⁠against Nepal and Ireland respectively.