England Triumphs Over Sri Lanka in T20 World Cup Opener

England marked their dominance in the ICC Men's T20 World Cup 2026 with a solid 51-run victory over Sri Lanka in the Super Eights opener, held at the Pallekele International Cricket Stadium on Sunday. This achievement extended England's unyielding streak against Sri Lanka to 12 wins in T20 Internationals.

Sri Lankan captain, Dasun Shanaka, reflecting on the defeat, acknowledged some positives with the ball despite falling short in batting execution. He noted the pitch was slower, which seemed to ease under lights, providing a semblance of opportunity for the hosts. Shanaka, who recorded the most T20I sixes for Sri Lanka with his 30-run contribution, urged his team to quickly rebound in upcoming matches.

England, opting to bat first, posted a total of 146/9, thanks mainly to a 62-run stand by Phil Salt. Despite Sri Lankan bowlers Dunith Wellalage, Maheesh Theekshana, and Dilshan Madushanka managing significant breakthroughs, Sri Lanka faltered in their pursuit, succumbing to 95 all out with subpar top-order performance. England's bowling, spearheaded by Archer, Dawson, and Rashid, was pivotal in defending their total robustly.