In the T20 World Cup 2026 Super 8, Sri Lanka collapsed while chasing 147, all out for 95. Only Dasun Shanaka resisted as England’s attack, led by Will Jacks’ 3/22, dominated, triggering a 51-run defeat and widespread fan criticism.
Sri Lanka might have boasted strong bowling, but their batting was off the boil in the T20 World Cup 2026 Super 8 match against England at the Pallekale International Cricket Stadium in Kandy on Sunday, February 22.
With a 147-run target, Sri Lanka failed to chase it down as the hosts were bundled out for 95 in 16.4 overs, handing England a comprehensive 51-run victory. Dasun Shanaka led Sri Lanka’s run chase with a valiant innings of 30 off 24 balls, including two fours and a six, at a strike rate of 125.00. However, other batters failed to step up as the second-best score was 13 by Kamindu Mendis.
For England, Will Jacks led the bowling attack with figures of 3/22 at an economy rate of 5.50 in his spell of four overs. Jofra Archer (2/20), Liam Dawson (2/27), and Adil Rashid (2/13) picked two wickets each, contributing to Sri Lanka’s dramatic collapse.
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How did Sri Lanka’s Batting Collapse in the Run Chase?
Chasing a modest target of 147 on home soil, Sri Lanka struggled to create any momentum from the outset of the run chase, as the hosts collapsed to 34/5 in 5.5 overs, with the dismissals of Pathum Nissanka (9), Kusal Mendis (4), Pavan Rathnayake (0), Kamil Mishara (6), and Dunith Wellalage (10).
This means Sri Lanka lost each wicket after small contributions, and Will Jacks was instrumental in triggering a collapse in the hosts’ batting. Kaminud Mendis and skipper Dasun Shanaka were the only hope for Sri Lanka to revive the run chase from a shambolic situation, but the former’s stay at the crease ended early after being dismissed for 13 at 52/6.
After Mendis’ dismissal, the onus and pressure fell on skipper Dasun Shanaka to anchor the innings, but he struggled to find any meaningful partnerships, and with wickets tumbling at regular intervals. Shanaka was apparently holding on to the glimmer of hope of pulling off a miraculous escape from the defeat before he was dismissed at 82/8.
Following Shanaka’s dismissal, it was far from possible for Sri Lanka to chase down the target, as the hosts needed 65 off 34 balls to win, with a required run rate of 11.47 runs per over, making a comeback virtually impossible against England’s disciplined bowling attack. After Dasun Shanaka’s wicket, Dushmantha Chameera and Maheesha Theekshana were looking to take the team 100-run mark before the former was dismissed for 6 at 94/9.
Eventually, Dilshan Madushanka’s two-ball duck folded Sri Lanka’s run chase for 95, meaning the hosts couldn’t even reach the 100-run mark, handing England a comprehensive 51-run victory in the Super 8 clash at Pallekele.
Sri Lanka Lost a Match Which Was Already Won
After restricting England to 146/9 with disciplined bowling, it appeared that the win was already written for Sri Lanka before their batting completely fell apart, leaving the home side unable to capitalize on their strong bowling performance.
Sri Lanka’s poor batting display was a major topic of discussion on social media, with fans and cricket enthusiasts expressing their shock and disappointment over the team’s inability to chase the modest total on home soil, criticizing the lack of partnerships and poor shot selection throughout the innings.
Taking to their X handles (formerly Twitter), fans and cricket enthusiasts lambasted Sri Lanka’s batting, calling it ‘utterly substandard,’ ‘horrendous,’ and ‘implosive,’ with many pointing out the lack of partnerships, poor shot selection, and irresponsible approach. Others noted that unless Kusal Mendis and Pathum Nissanka fired, the team’s top order routinely collapsed, leaving fans frustrated and shocked by the display.
With 95 all-out, Sri Lanka became the first team to not crossed 100-run mark in the ongoing T20 World Cup 2026, highlighting a dramatic batting collapse that squandered the home advantage and left fans questioning the team’s approach during a crucial clash.
Following the defeat, Sri Lanka will look to bounce back when they take on New Zealand at the R Premadasa Stadium in Colombo on Wednesday, February 25.
