ICC World Cup 2023: England suffers fourth defeat in five matches

BENGALURU: Defending champions England, are continuing a lackluster run in the World Cup, as they secured just one victory out of the four matches they have played. In the latest held tonight, they were comfortably defeated by Sri Lanka, who emerged victorious by 8 wickets.

England struggled to make a mark with the bat in the Chinnaswamy Stadium, known for its favourable batting conditions. While opening batsmen Jonny Bairstow (30) and David Malan (28) provided a swift start, their departure marked the beginning of a steady procession back to the pavilion for the rest of the English lineup. Only Ben Stokes (43) fought for a while. The Sri Lankan bowlers unleashed their prowess, preventing the English batters from amassing a substantial total. Eventually, England was dismissed for a low score of 156 runs, with Lahiru Kumara (3/35) claiming three wickets, while Kasun Rajitha (2/36) and Angelo Mathews (2/14) each secured two.

The chase proved to be a cakewalk for the Sri Lankan batsmen. Despite early losses with Kusal Perera and Kusal Mendis departing, Pathum Nissanka (77*) and Samarawickrama (65*) skillfully guided their team to victory. In the process, both batsmen notched up half-centuries. Thanks to their efforts, Sri Lanka achieved their target, scoring 160/2 in just 25.4 overs.

Following this humiliating defeat, England is set to face India on October 29 in Lucknow. Conversely, Sri Lanka will take on Afghanistan on October 30.

Scorecard:

England: 156/10 (33.2 overs)

Sri Lanka: 160/10 (25.4 overs)