It was an England victory set up by the wily, age-old brilliance of Adil Rashid, vital to their hopes of a World Cup triumph in the coming weeks. The masterful leg-spinner took three for 19 as Sri Lanka’s batting lineup collapsed in the first of three Twenty20s, losing five wickets for 22 runs.
Sam Curran celebrated a late hat-trick, too, as the visitors were set a target of 134 in a rain-shortened contest after the start was delayed. They were guided by Phil Salt’s 46, but Tom Banton’s 15-ball 29 provided the real thrust, easing the tension in the middle overs.
