England faced yet another devastating defeat in the Cricket World Cup, putting them on the verge of an early elimination. Opting to bat first after winning the toss, England struggled to find their rhythm. Wickets fell regularly, and despite Ben Stokes’ (43) efforts, England could only manage a dismal total of 156. In response, Sri Lanka lost two early wickets, briefly giving England some hope. However, Pathum Nissanka (77*) and Sadeera Samarawickrama (65*) both achieved half-centuries in a partnership worth 137, leading Sri Lanka to a comfortable victory in Bengaluru.
This loss marks England’s fourth defeat out of five matches in the World Cup, leaving them facing the possibility of an early exit. They still have challenging matches against Australia, Pakistan, and India to come.
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England vs Sri Lanka LIVE: Cricket World Cup score and updates
England face Sri Lanka in a must-win Cricket World Cup clash
England all out for 156 in a woeful batting performance
Wicket! Perera out for 4! ct Stokes b Willey – Sri Lanka 9-1
Wicket! Mendis out for 11! ct Buttler b Willey – Sri Lanka 23-2
Sri Lanka win by 8 wickets with almost half their overs remaining
“It’s time to face reality: Cricket World Cup collapse shows England are past their prime”
15:51, Mike Jones
Jos Buttler watched helplessly from behind the stumps as England’s World Cup dreams crumbled around him on the field in Bengaluru following their eight-wicket loss to Sri Lanka. Despite all the talk and preparation, and the hopes of defending their title, England’s chances of qualification now seem almost impossible mathematically after their fourth defeat in five matches. While history may one day overlook this World Cup, just as it did in 2015 before England’s resurgence, there are pressing questions that need answers in the immediate aftermath.
“It’s time to face reality: England are past their prime”
Sri Lanka beat England by 8 wickets
15:43, Mike Jones
England captain Jos Buttler admitted that Sri Lanka outplayed them, saying, “There were a number of their players who played really well.” He emphasized the need for improved individual performances, saying, “We’re just not performing to the level we need and expect to compete and play our best.” While he acknowledged that their chances of progressing further in the tournament look slim, he expressed the team’s desire to play good cricket in their remaining matches.
“Shambolic England slip to eight-wicket defeat against Sri Lanka”
15:39, Mike Jones
England’s World Cup title defense has all but ended after yet another embarrassing defeat, this time against Sri Lanka, led by their former head coach Chris Silverwood. England put on a feeble, error-prone batting display, scoring just 156 in Bengaluru, and their bowling performance was not much better as Sri Lanka easily chased down the target with eight wickets in hand. Having lost four of their five matches by significant margins, England can practically start packing their bags despite having four more matches to play in the group stage.
Reaction from Sri Lanka captain Kusal Mendis:
“I think net run rate going up is good for our team. We’ve done really well, the bowling team did a really good job. We have another four games left, I think if we win three games back to back, we can make the semi-finals. I think we can do that. Kumar did really well today. He’s the main fast bowler in Sri Lanka, he bowled really well in his first three overs, he helped us control, I’m really happy. Matthews is so experienced, he tells us so many things in the middle. He bowled really well. He plays the situation, I’m very lucky to play with him. Today we fielded excellently. Everyone did well. In the next four matches if everyone does the same thing, we’ll be more confident of reaching the semi-finals.”
Jos Buttler faced more questions at a press conference following the game, expressing his disappointment and frustration with their performance in the tournament. He acknowledged that the team has not been able to play at their best and emphasized the need for improvement.
Former England captain Michael Atherton commented on the team’s poor batting display, suggesting that England’s one-day side may be at the end of its cycle. Despite Moeen Ali’s pre-match assurance of aggressive cricket, England could only manage a meager total of 156 runs against Sri Lanka.
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