England attain T20 World Cup semi-finals with nervy win over Sri Lanka as Australia eradicated | Cricket Information

England squeezed into the T20 World Cup semi-finals with Ben Stokes ushering them to a nervy, four-wicket, final-over win over Sri Lanka after a batting wobble in Sydney.

Jos Buttler’s aspect got here into Saturday’s sport figuring out victory would take them into the final 4 however {that a} defeat would see hosts and defending champions Australia qualify at their expense.

England reached their goal of 142 with two balls to spare on a dry, used floor however solely after a collapse of 5 wickets for 36 runs as soon as Alex Hales (45 off 27) and Buttler (28 off 23) had damaged the again of the chase with a gap stand of 75 from 45 balls.

Ben Stokes (42no off 36), batting at No 3 after Dawid Malan tweaked his groin within the subject, and Chris Woakes (5no) guided England residence as they secured second spot in Group 1, behind New Zealand on internet run-rate, and a semi-final with the winners of Group 2 in Adelaide on Thursday.

Sam Curran (6) was caught at deep nice leg from the ultimate ball of the 18th over with 13 runs required however his alternative Woakes went on to strike the profitable 4.

Stokes performed the important thing hand with the bat, although, a little bit over three years after he had carried out the identical within the 50-over World Cup closing towards New Zealand at Lord’s in July 2019.

Sri Lanka had made a brisk begin after electing to bat, racing to 65-1 after seven overs thanks principally to Pathum Nissanka (67 off 45), however solely mustered 76-7 from the final 13 as Adil Rashid (1-16) dried up the run-rate and Mark Wooden (3-26) struck 3 times on the loss of life.

India are England’s doubtless semi-final opponents – Rohit Sharma’s males will high their pool in the event that they beat Zimbabwe on the MCG on Sunday – however Buttler’s aspect might additionally play South Africa, Bangladesh or Pakistan.

The semi-finals will likely be shorn of the host nation with Australia paying the value for an 89-run hammering towards New Zealand of their opening fixture on the SCG – a run-rate-damaging defeat that Aaron Finch’s aspect have been unable to recuperate from as they ended third.

England rally after sturdy Sri Lanka begin

Australia wanted a Sri Lanka win or a washout to progress – the latter was by no means in play however the former appeared potential at occasions, beginning as Sri Lanka started their innings brightly, together with by slamming two sixes off Wooden that bookended a 17-run third over.

Kusal Mendis (18 off 14) holed out off Woakes (1-24) from the ultimate ball of the fourth over as Liam Livingstone took an incredible sliding catch at deep backward sq., earlier than Dhananjaya de Silva (9) clothed a cutter from Sam Curran (1-27) to Ben Stokes at deep midwicket within the ninth.

Nissanka saved going till the fifteenth over, when he turned a deserved wicket for leg-spinner Rashid after skying into the leg-side – substitute fielder Chris Jordan, on rather than Malan, working in from long-on to finish the catch.

Nissanka and Rashid have been the celebs of the innings – the Sri Lankan hanging 5 sixes and two fours and reaching his second half-century of this match from 33 balls, and the Englishman not hit for a boundary throughout his glorious four-over stint.

Nissanka lacked assist from his team-mates because the innings progressed however that was not the case for Rashid together with his fellow bowlers serving to to limit Sri Lanka, together with Wooden because the England fast rebounded from his costly first over of the match.

Wooden had Sri Lanka captain Dasun Shanaka (3) caught behind within the 18th over and was then concerned in three wickets within the closing over, having Bhanuka Rajapaksa (22 off 22) and Chamika Karunaratne (0) caught and likewise working out Wanindu Hasaranga (9) with a dive because the batter tried to steal a bye.

After petering out with the bat, Sri Lanka wanted early breakthroughs with the ball however the powerplay was dominated by England as Hales and Buttler plundered 70 from the primary six overs, with Hales nailing 4 boundaries off Kasun Rajitha in a 20-run fifth over.

Sri Lanka leg-spinner Hasaranga had Buttler pouched beautifully by Karunaratne at deep midwicket earlier than catching Hales off his personal bowling because the England batter bobbled a slog-sweep again to him.

When Harry Brook (4), Livingstone (4) and Moeen Ali (1) suffered tame exits – Brook chipping again to Dhananjaya, Livingstone skying Lahiru Kumara to long-on, Moeen slashing Dhananjaya to extra-cover – England have been tottering on 111-5 requiring an additional 31 runs from 33 balls.

Stokes and Curran eased the strain with a partnership of 18 from 21 balls but it surely cranked up once more when Curran hooked Kumara to the person on the fence at deep nice leg.

However Stokes proved precisely why he’s on this England XI with a cerebral knock and Woakes flogged the match-winning 4 as Buttler’s aspect saved their hopes of turning into twin white-ball world champions alive.

What’s subsequent?

Group 2 concludes on Sunday with all six groups in motion. South Africa face Netherlands in Adelaide (12am UK time) earlier than Pakistan play Bangladesh on the identical venue (4am UK time) after which India meet Zimbabwe in Melbourne (8am UK time).

Subsequent week’s semi-finals are in Sydney on Wednesday after which Adelaide on Thursday, each at 8am UK time, with the closing in Melbourne on Sunday, November 13 additionally an 8am begin UK time.