Sri Lanka made history in Derby on Wednesday evening, winning the final T20 by seven wickets with three overs to spare, to go 2-1 up and secure their first ever series win against England.
It is England’s first T20 series loss at home to any team other than Australia since 2010, and a remarkable one: Sri Lanka are ranked eighth in the world, well behind second-placed England, and until recently (according to the Federation of International Cricketers’ Associations) were essentially an amateur side, with no professional national structures in place. England are currently without Nat Sciver-Brunt, Sophia Dunkley and Sophie Ecclestone, but the coach, Jon Lewis, defended his decision to field a young side and said the team had “learned a hell of a lot” from the experience.
