England secured a commanding 2-0 series lead against Sri Lanka with a dramatic six-wicket victory in the second T20 international at Pallekele on Sunday. The match, twice interrupted by rain, culminated in a thrilling finish as England chased down a revised DLS target of 168 runs with just two deliveries remaining.
Tom Banton emerged as the match-winner with an explosive unbeaten 54 off 33 deliveries, featuring three sixes and four boundaries. His innings provided the crucial momentum England needed to overcome the weather-adjusted target. Captain Jos Buttler contributed significantly with 39 runs from 29 balls before being dismissed in the 10th over.
Sri Lanka had posted a competitive 189-5 in their allotted 20 overs, with Pavan Rathnayake top-scoring with a rapid 40 from just 22 deliveries. The hosts started strongly with Pathum Nissanka (34) and Kamil Mishara (36) putting on 56 runs for the first wicket. Kusal Mendis added further impetus with 32 from 17 balls before England’s bowlers staged a mid-innings recovery.
Jofra Archer (2-42) made the crucial breakthrough by dismissing Nissanka, while Liam Dawson and Adil Rashid applied pressure during the middle overs. The match was significantly affected by weather conditions, with a 75-minute rain delay forcing a reduction to 17 overs per side and the implementation of the DLS method.
England’s chase appeared uncertain at 57-2 when the rain arrived, placing them behind the required DLS par score. However, the restart saw Banton and Harry Brook (36 from 12 balls) unleash a devastating partnership of 49 runs from just 20 deliveries. Sam Curran provided the finishing touches with an unbeaten 20 from 14 balls to seal the victory.
The series concludes with the final T20 scheduled for Tuesday at the same venue, serving as both teams’ final preparation before the T20 World Cup begins on Saturday.