Summary

Your views on England's tour of Sri Lanka

Live Reporting

by Timothy Abraham, Mike Peter & Huzaifah Khan

  1. How stat?!

    Kieran Parmley
    CricViz analyst

    England in full T20Is since the start of 2024:

    • Losing two or more powerplay wickets - 5 wins, 5 losses
    • Losing one or no powerplay wickets - 12 wins, 4 losses

  2. Nick Compton
    Former England Test player on TNT Sports

    Excellent from Matheesha Pathirana. He continues to deceive England's batters.

  3. wicket

    WICKET

    Bethell c Kusal Mendis b Pathirana 3 (Eng 14-2)

    Matheesha Pathirana (R) of Sri Lanka celebrates the wicket of Jacob BethellGetty Images

    Fantastic bowling from Matheesha Pathirana.

    The slingy seamer looks in excellent form in his opening over, twice requiring Jos Buttler to block out yorkers, while also seeing the England wicketkeeper get a fortunate four via an inside edge past his stumps.

    The 23-year-old removes Jacob Bethell with the last delivery of the over, with the England batter throwing his hands at a wide-ish delivery and offering a thin edge to wicketkeeper Kusal Mendis.

  4. Get Involved

    Click 'Get Involved' to have your say

    I think Ben Duckett needs a break from cricket. Since his century against India at Headingley he’s not looked himself. A break from cricket would do him the world of good.

    Jar, Solihull

  5. Eng 7-1

    That's a very tidy start from Dasun Shanaka too.

    Just a single from his opening over, and the Sri Lanka captain goes up for another big lbw appeal against Jacob Bethell.

    The England number three was pivoting to try and hack the ball into the leg side, and was struck above the pad.

    It's Shanaka's call, and he correctly decides not to review.

  6. Nick Compton
    Former England Test player on TNT Sports

    Sri Lanka's Dushmantha Chameera (3R) celebratesGetty Images

    Real credit to Dushmantha Chameera. This is an outstanding delivery first up.

    It did him with pace. Ben Duckett didn't see much of that.

  7. Eng 6-1

    Four singles follow the dismissal of Ben Duckett.

    A decent start from Dushmantha Chameera.

  8. Roshan Abeysinghe
    TNT Sports commentator

    Sri Lanka almost didn't take that review. That was dead.

    The shape from Dushmantha Chameera was outstanding.

    First ball duck for Ben Duckett.

  9. wicket

    WICKET

    Duckett lbw b Chameera 0 (Eng 2-1)

    England's Ben Duckett walks after losing his wicketReuters

    That's very out.

    Ben Duckett's dismal run of form continues, he's dismissed for a golden duck by a big in-swinging delivery by Dushmantha Chameera.

    Out comes Jacob Bethell.

  10. Sri Lanka review

    Ben Duckett is struck on the pad by his first delivery!

    Nothing from the umpire, but this looks a pretty good shout.

    After a bit of discussion, Dasun Shanaka asks for a review.

  11. Get Involved

    Click 'Get Involved' to have your say

    Shame that Archer is going to miss out. I don’t think we have seen what he can do yet…

    Archie, Manchester

  12. Eng 2-0

    England's Ben Duckett and England's Jos ButtlerReuters

    Time to get going.

    Dushmantha Chameera is opening the bowling, he sends his first ball of the series down the leg side for a wide.

    Jos Buttler fends the follow-up delivery into the leg side for a run off the bat.

  13. Sri Lanka Dasun Shanaka: "We would have bowled first. It was clear to bowl. The conditions will be the same for both teams.

    "We could have done better in the second match but hopefully we'll win this one. A special day with celebrating Sri Lanka's independence tomorrow and hopefully we will celebrate with a victory

    "Wanindu Hasaranga has an ache in the arm pit and is unwell. He'll be out for two three days."

  14. England captain Harry Brook: "We'll have a bat. Used pitch, we're fairly used to this wicket now, so we feel like we'll get the best out of the pitch in the first innings.

    "Phil Salt's had a back spasm, so Ben Duckett comes in and Jofra Archer misses out, he's having a rest for Luke Wood.

    "We've been very good in this series so far, stick to our strengths and stick to our processes as much as possible."

  15. David Gower
    Ex-England captain on TNT Sports

    Tom Banton, for me, has been one of the finds of the series. He's a beautiful striker of a cricket ball. He's taken his chance and I commend him for it.

    In my books he's played his way into the side for the World Cup.

  16. How's stat?!

    Kieran Parmley
    CricViz analyst

    England registered three of their five highest-ever T20 international scores when batting first last year, hitting 304-2 vs South Africa in Manchester, 248-3 vs West Indies in Southampton and 236-4 vs New Zealand in Christchurch.

    They'll do well to breach 200 in Pallekele however, which has only seen three 200+ scores in the 29 previous T20 internationals here.

  17. Line-ups

    Sri Lanka: Pathum Nissanka, Kamil Mishara, Kusal Mendis (wk), Pavan Rathnayake, Kamindu Mendis, Dasun Shanaka (capt), Janith Liyanage, Dunith Wellalage, Maheesh Theekshana, Dushmantha Chameera, Matheesha Pathirana

    England: Ben Duckett, Jos Buttler (wk), Jacob Bethell, Tom Banton, Harry Brook (capt), Sam Curran, Will Jacks, Jamie Overton, Liam Dawson, Adil Rashid, Luke Wood

    Two changes for England.

    Phil Salt suffered a back spasm in the warm-ups and has been replaced by Ben Duckett, who has recovered from a finger injury that saw him miss the first two matches, while Luke Wood swaps in for Jofra Archer.

    For Sri Lanka, Kamindu Mendis comes and Dushmantha Chameera come in for the first time this series, while Maheesh Theekshana returns after missing Sunday's fixture. Eshan Malinga, who went off with a shoulder injury two days ago, Charith Asalanka and Wanindu Hasaranga miss out.

    The hosts are yet to name a final squad for the World Cup, so an impressive performance here could secure a place in the tournament selection.

  18. England win the toss and bat

    For the third time in the series Harry Brook has called correctly, and he's chosen to have a bat.

    England have chased in their last two matches, but with the series won they are going to have a go at setting a target and defending it.

  19. Good afternoon!

    We're back in Pallekele for the third and final T20 between Sri Lanka and England.

    The tourists have already won the series, having taken a 2-0 lead on Sunday, but Harry Brook will be hoping his charges can carry momentum into their T20 World Cup campaign with a clean sweep in this leg of the tour.