England inflict 3-0 whitewash on Sri Lanka to culminate T20 World Cup prep in style
Will Jacks (Source: England Cricket)
Published - 03 Feb 2026, 09:10 PM• Read time - 2 mins
England culminated their prep for the ICC Men's T20 World Cup in style as they registered a clean sweep against Sri Lanka by beating them in the third and final T20I of the three-match series by 12 runs at the Pallekele International Cricket Stadium on Tuesday, February 3.
Electing to bat first, the Harry Brook-led side got totally obliterated by Sri Lanka's pace spearhead Dushmantha Chameera. Only three English batters (Jos Buttler, Sam Curran, and Liam Dawson) managed to reach the double digits as Chameera registered his career-best bowling figures (5/24) in the shortest format of the game.
Buttler (25 off 21 balls) struck a flurry of boundaries to ease the pressure as wickets kept tumbling at the other end, but Maheesh Theekshana cleaned him to compound England's troubles. Buttler's wicket had England staring down the barrel as they slumped to 47 for the loss of five wickets in 7.4 overs.
But Player of the Match (POTM) Sam Curran (58 off 48 balls) lifted the tourists from the doldrums and guided them to a respectable total. Curran got his eye in and played a knock full of aplomb, laced with six fours and a maximum at a strike rate of 120.83.
England eventually posted 128 for the loss of nine wickets and felt as if they had a below-par total to defend.
In reply, several Sri Lankan batters got starts, but none of them really kicked on and stayed till the end to take their side over the finish line. Will Jacks (3/14) and Jacob Bethell (4/11) were the stars of the show for the Three Lions as they trapped the hosts in their spin web and stifled them.
Pathum Nissanka (23) and Kusal Mendis (26) looked in good nick but couldn't really sustain their momentum in the middle and succumbed to the English spinners. Sri Lanka got bowled out for 116 in just 19.3 overs, and there was a clear look of despair on the faces of their fans, who had come to cheer for them. The defeat is a telling blow for the Lankan Lions as they look completely out of sorts ahead of the ICC event.
