In an exciting encounter on the Pallekele Worldwide Cricket Stadium in Kandy on Tuesday, England capped off their T20 World Cup preparations with a hard-fought victory over Sri Lanka. Whereas the collection scoreline suggests dominance, the ultimate match was a masterclass in spin bowling and low-score defending, headlined by a second of pure magic from Sri Lankan thriller spinner Maheesh Theekshana.
Maheesh Theekshana strikes with an unplayable ball to dismiss Jos Buttler in third T20I
The spotlight of the primary innings got here within the eighth over when Theekshana produced what many are calling the supply of the collection. England’s star batter, Jos Buttler, was seeking to stabilize a wobbling innings, having reached 25 off 21 balls. Nevertheless, he was left completely shell-shocked by a ball that defied the legal guidelines of physics normally related to Theekshana’s bowling.
Identified extra for his tight traces and delicate skidders, Theekshana discovered surprising buy on the Pallekele floor. The ball pitched on an ideal size, gripped the dusty turf, and “spun a mile,” zipping via the large hole between Buttler’s inside edge and again pad. The ball crashed into the highest of the off-stump, leaving the world-class batter trudging again to the pavilion in disbelief.
Upon the dismissal, Theekshana broke out his trademark ‘Archer’ celebration, mimicking the discharge of an arrow into the sky as his teammates swarmed him. At that second, England was reeling at 47/5, and the Kandy crowd was at its loudest, witnessing a grasp at work. Theekshana completed his tidy spell with figures of 1/16, proving as soon as once more why he stays one of the tough thriller bowlers to learn within the shortest format.
Right here’s the video:
Wicket? ✅ Celebration? 🏹
Maheesh Teekshana spins Jos Buttler out, then brings the warmth with that celebration 🥵 #SonySportsNetwork #SLvENG pic.twitter.com/6syY4ApsdG
— Sony Sports activities Community (@SonySportsNetwk) February 3, 2026
Additionally READ: Jacob Bethell and Will Jacks star with the ball as England seal the 3rd T20I to whitewash Sri Lanka
England secures 3-0 whitewash regardless of Dushmantha Chameera’s five-wicket haul
Regardless of the person brilliance of the Sri Lankan bowlers, England’s depth and grit ultimately informed the story. Dushmantha Chameera was the decide of the hosts’ assault, respiratory hearth to assert a career-best 5/24. His scientific tempo bowling restricted England to a modest whole of 128/9, a rating that appeared nicely beneath par on the midway mark. Sam Curran was the lone hero for the guests with the bat, dragging his aspect to respectability with a gritty 58 off 48 balls.
The chase, nevertheless, proved to be a nightmare for the Sri Lankan batters. On a floor the place the ball continued to grip and switch, England’s spin duo of Jacob Bethell and Will Jacks turned the sport on its head. Bethell, the younger left-arm spinner, produced a sensational spell of 4/11, together with three wickets in a single over to dismantle the tail.
Sri Lanka fell simply 12 runs brief, being bowled out for 116 within the closing over. This victory marked a major milestone for Harry Brook’s aspect, securing a 3-0 collection clear sweep on international soil. For England, it’s a excellent enhance of confidence forward of the upcoming T20 World Cup, whereas Sri Lanka will head again to the drafting board to deal with their batting collapses in opposition to spin.
Additionally WATCH: Sam Curran takes hat-trick against Sri Lanka in T20I series opener
