Sri Lanka vs England: Hosts remove Jos Buttler, Jacob Bethell early as Former scores Three Low-Score Figures

Sri Lanka picked up crucial early wickets of Jos Buttler and Jacob Bethell to put England in early trouble during their Super Eight Group 2 clash in the ICC Men's T20 World Cup 2026 at Pallekele International Cricket Stadium.

Sri Lanka captain Dasun Shanaka won the toss and elected to field first, aiming to exploit conditions in Kandy and build on their recent strong home performances. England, unchanged for the fourth consecutive match, opened with Phil Salt and Jos Buttler, but the experienced wicketkeeper-batter struggled from the outset.

Sri Lanka vs England Hosts remove Jos Buttler Jacob Bethell early as Former scores Three Low-Score Figures

In the third over, left-arm spinner Dunith Wellalage struck decisively. Buttler, attempting a premeditated reverse sweep to a stump-to-stump delivery that turned slightly, missed and was trapped plumb in front on the pads. The umpire raised the finger immediately, and Buttler opted not to review, departing for a laborious 7 off 14 balls.

This marked another low score in a tournament where the opener has failed to find rhythm despite his aggressive intent.

England's woes deepened soon after when Maheesh Theekshana entered the attack. In the fifth over, Jacob Bethell top-edged a delivery to third man, where Dilshan Madushanka took a sharp diving catch. Bethell scored just 3 off 4 balls, leaving England reeling at 32 for 2. The dismissals highlighted Sri Lanka's spin dominance in the powerplay, restricting England's explosive top order.

Phil Salt provided some resistance, but further wickets followed as Tom Banton fell to excellent fielding by Shanaka, and Harry Brook was trapped lbw by more clever spin bowling. England slumped to 49 for 3 by the eighth over, facing mounting pressure in a must-win encounter to keep their semi-final hopes alive.

Sri Lanka's bowlers, led by Wellalage and Theekshana, capitalized on a turning surface and England's top-order fragility, setting the stage for a potentially decisive contest under cloudy skies in Pallekele.