World Cup 2022 England v Sri Lanka: How result ended Australia’s T20 title defence
It’s official … Australia’s dismal T20 World Cup defence is over. But only after England wobbled its way through to the semi-finals in a dramatic finish against Sri Lanka.
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Australia’s shambolic defence of their T20 World Cup title is officially over.
England joined New Zealand in the semi-finals after beating Sri Lanka by four wickets in a thriller at the Sydney Cricket Ground.
The Australians finished in a three-way tie with the English and the Kiwis at the top of the Group 1 standings but missed out on the playoffs because they had the worst net run rate of the trio.
Their last chance of sneaking through was if Sri Lanka beat England but the Poms got the job done despite losing wickets late as the pressure mounted.
They restricted the Asian Cup champions to 8-141 with some brilliant bowling at the death then reeled off the required runs with just two balls to spare with Alex Hales (47) and Jos Buttler (28) laying the foundations and Ben Stokes (42 not out) brilliantly finishing it off.
“I was as nervous as anything waiting to bat with my pads on! My heart rate will hopefully come down,” England fast bowler Mark Wood said.
“A bit nervy but we got there in the end. I am sure we will be disappointed with making it so close, but the seamers all day seemed to go for runs and the spinners squeezed us a little. But Ben Stokes, who has done it in that situation stood up.
“Ben is a big game player. We needed him there and he did it for us. We played well up top. I don’t think it’s an easy wicket to start on. I think the middle order will cash in on a better pitch.”
As group 1 runners up, England will play the Group B winners – likely to be India – in the semis at Adelaide next Thursday. As things stand, the Kiwis will probably play South Africa at the SCG on Wednesday.
The final Group B matches are still to be played on Sunday but there could be another twist in a tournament full of surprises.
Although it was close in the end, truth be told, the Aussies never really deserved to make the semis and the fallout to the team’s lacklustre efforts in a home World Cup should be fast and brutal to avoid it ever happening again.
Former Australian fast bowler Stuart Clark told the BBC’s Test Match Special:
“It’s disappointing for Australia to go out but they weren’t good enough. They will have a debrief and a bit of soul searching.
“There’s some guys who have been around for a while, and we have to start looking to some younger guys. Cameron Green is the only player under 29.
“I think this especially applies to the bowlers who play all three formats. The questions are going to be asked about what our team will look like for the next T20 World Cup, and I think half these guys won’t be there.”
Although the Australians only lost one match during the group phase, they never came close to replicating the same standards when they won the World Cup in Dubai last year.
That of course was when Justin Langer was in charge but the team’s T20 results have fluctuated since he was shown the door.
Serious questions will need to be asked about the team’s current leadership and future direction because their performances were not up to scratch.
The first casualties are likely to be the senior players who underperformed during the tournament, including the skipper Aaron Finch.
Steve Smith, David Warner, Matthew Wade, Marcus Stoinis and Glenn Maxwell will all be in their mid 30s by the next World Cup so most of them – if any – won’t make it either.
The expected cull may not stop just at the players.
The new Australian coach Andrew McDonald and the selection panel should also expect to find themselves under the pump after some baffling decisions to stick with ageing players out of form.
10.22PM UPDATE
England is through to the T20 World Cup semi-finals after a four-wicket win over Sri Lanka with three balls to spare.
England was 0-70 off six overs and made 6-72 from that point.
A sore Ben Stokes finished 42 not out after Alex Hales (47) and Jos Buttler (28) set the platform for England’s chase.
10.18PM UPDATE
England needs five runs off the last over to reach the T20 World Cup semi-finals. Ben Stokes will be on strike. Four runs would mean a super over would decide whether Australia goes through.
10.10PM UPDATE
Sam Curran caught! England needs 13 runs off the last two overs with four wickets in hand. This is nuts!
Chris Woakes has come in ahead of the injured Dawid Malan.
England's first six overs: 0-70
— Tim Michell (@tim_michell) November 5, 2022
England's next 12 overs: 6-59#T20WorldCup
10.05PM UPDATE
England needs 15 off 18 balls. This is far more tense than it should be.
10.01PM UPDATE
England needs 21 from 24 balls.
9.54PM UPDATE ALI OUT, ENGLAND NERVOUS
Moeen Ali chips a catch to cover and England is 5-111.
Sam Curran is the new man in, with Dawid Malan still yet to bat.
9.52PM UPDATE ENGLAND WOBBLING
Within sight of a berth in the semi-finals, England has lost 3-24.
With six overs remaining and the SCG crowd cheering dot balls, England needs 32 runs.
A reminder Dawid Malan is unlikely to bat after injuring his groin in the field.
9.34PM UPDATE WIN PREDICTOR SAYS AUSTRALIA ALL BUT DONE
The win predictor has England at 95 per cent and Sri Lanka 5 per cent.
England is 2-86 after 10 overs, needing 56 off 60 balls to clinch a semi-final spot.
9.20PM UPDATE ENGLAND’S BRUTAL POWER PLAY SHOW
Australia’s last hopes of making the World Cup semi finals are fading fast.
England are making light work of their run chase against Sri Lanka at the SCG and it seems only a matter of time before they boot the Aussies out.
Needing just 142 for victory, England raced to 70 without loss after the six over power play.
Showing the Aussies what they should have done, the English openers have completely monstered the Sri Lankan attack.
Alex Hales is 42 not out from 19 balls with Jos Buttler unbeaten on 25 off 18 and the required run rate already down to less than a run a ball.
9.07PM UPDATE ENGLAND POWERING TO TOTAL
Five overs down in England’s chase and Australia is staring at an early exit from the T20 World Cup.
Jos Buttler and Alex Hales have powered England to 0-50 after five overs, needing a further 9 2 runs from 90 balls.
8.43PM UPDATE WHY AUSSIE FANS SHOULD HAVE HOPE
Although Sri Lanka’s total of 8-141 may not seem massive after they were pegged back by England’s bowlers at the death, some key stats are still in their favour.
For starters, no team that’s batted second at the SCG during this tournament has gone and won a match.
And the highest total by any team batting second at the SCG during the World Cup is just 123.
Still, the Poms will be heavily favoured to reach their target and qualify the semis, which would leave the Aussies wondering what could have been after Sri Lanka looked on course for a much bigger total before completely losing their way at the end, adding just 25 runs for the loss of five wickets over the last five overs.
8.35PM UPDATE ENGLAND RALLIES TO CLOSE ON SEMI-FINALS
England is in the box seat to reach the T20 World Cup semi-finals after producing a sterling rally with the ball.
Sri Lanka raced to 1-54 after the six-over powerplay but limped through the rest of its innings as Sam Curran and Adil Rashid led England’s fightback.
Sri Lanka finished with 8-141, losing three wickets in the last over and only managing 87 runs from its last 84 balls.
Commentator Mike Atherton said a lack of firepower has come back to haunt the Sri Lankans.
8.11PM UPDATE MALAN LIMPS FROM FIELD
England’s battling line-up has suffered a potentially disastrous setback with former World No. 1 batter Dawid Malan injured in the field.
Malan appeared to hurt his groin while chasing a ball from backward point and immediately limped from the field at the SCG.
It remains to be seen whether he will be available to bat as England chases a semi-final berth.
Dawid Malan injured, bad luck England. He plays spin well, England would need him fit and healthy. Moeen Ali should be another option to bat higher up the order. #T20WorldCup
— Farid Khan (@_FaridKhan) November 5, 2022
8.02PM UPDATE BROAD RAISES SCG PITCH CONCERNS
English quick Stuart Broad says he can’t understand why the England-Sri Lanka match is being played on the same SCG wicket as two other games.
Broad tweeted on Saturday night: “SL started well. Feel like their batting is light from now. Would expect us to win the next 10 overs. Then have to play their spinners well.
“Not sure why we’re using a pitch for the 3rd time in a World Cup.”
SL started well. Feel like their batting is light from now. Would expect us to win the next 10 overs. Then have to play their spinners well. Not sure why we’re using a pitch for the 3rd time in a World Cup https://t.co/Ae9hqlq3NF
— Stuart Broad (@StuartBroad8) November 5, 2022
7.56PM UPDATE NISSANKA REACHES HALF-CENTURY
Sri Lankan opener Pathum Nissanka has brought up his half-century at the SCG after overcoming a mid pitch collision as the English bowlers bagged two more wickets to slow down the run flow.
Nissanke got to his 50 off 33 balls as Sri Lanka moved to 3-89 after 12 overs – still on course for a big total despite slowing down.
He had a scare when he crashed into his teammate Charith Asalanka but both men recovered.
Asalanka fell for eight when he skied a catch off Ben Stokes to Dawid Malan.
Sri Lanka also lost Dhananjaya de Silva for nine when he was caught by Stokes on the boundary rope right in front of the Member’s Stand.
7.49PM UPDATE SRI LANKAN STAR HURT
Pathum Nissanka has received treatment on the field after appearing to be hurt when he collided with teammate Charith Asalanka.
Play resumed after a delay of about five minutes with Nissanka batting on.
“Bit of a hobble, but it didn’t look too disastrous,” former England captain Michael Atherton said in commentary after play resumed.
Sri Lanka reached 2-80 after 10 overs with Nissanka the star, unbeaten on 46.
7.27PM UPDATE SRI LANKAN POWERPLAY OVER
There is hope for Australia yet because Sri Lanka have exploded out the blocks – belting 1-54 during the powerplay.
Showing a lot more intent than the Aussies did against Afghanistan, Sri Lanka’s openers have been carving up the English attack.
Pathum Nissanka let the Poms know what they were in for when he dispatched the second ball of the match – from Ben Stokes – over the ropes for six.
Nissanka got another maximum off express bowler Chris Wood when he deflected past third man then a third off Sam Curran.
Kusal Mendis also blasted a six off Wood as the Asian Cup champions piled on 32 from the first three overs.
The Poms got rid of Mendis for 14 when Liam Livingstone held a running catch in the deep but Nissanka (32 not put) and the new batter Dhananjaya de Silva (two) kept the scoreboard ticking over.
7.15PM UPDATE SRI LANKAN STARTS GIVES AUSSIES HOPE
Pathum Nissanka and Kusal Mendis have launched Sri Lanka to 0-32 after three overs, giving Australia a boost as it prays for a Sri Lankan victory against England.
Mark Wood left the field after bowling the third over of the innings.
6.50PM COULD COIN TOSS POINT TO AUSSIE PROGRESSION?
Some good news for Australia at the T20 World Cup.
Sri Lanka has won the toss and elected to bat first in their match against England at the Sydney Cricket Ground.
The stats are a good omen for Australia’s hopes of a Sri Lankan victory because every team that has batted first at the SCG during the tournament has gone on and won the match.
Australia won the toss in the tournament opener against New Zealand but gave the Kiwis first go on a perfect deck and promptly got hammered.
England captain Jos Buttler said he would definitely have batted first if he’d won the toss against Sri Lanka.
“We need to play our best cricket to try to get through to the next round,” he said.
England named an unchanged team from the one that beat New Zealand in their last outing while Sri Lanka made one change, recalling Chamika Karunratne.
6.35PM UPDATE – TEAM LISTS ARE IN
SRI LANKA
Pathum Nissanka
Kusal Mendis (WK)
Dhananjaya de Silva
Charith Asalanka
Bhanuka Rajapaksa
Dasun Shanaka (C)
Wanindu Hasaranga
Chamika Karunaratne
Maheesh Theekshana
Lahiru Kumara
Kasun Rajitha
ENGLAND
Jos Buttler (C) (WK)
Alex Hales
Dawid Malan
Ben Stokes
Harry Brook
Moeen Ali
Liam Livingstone
Sam Curran
Chris Woakes
Adil Rashid
Mark Wood
6.20PM UPDATE RAIN WON’T SAVE AUSSIES
One of Australia’s two avenues of making the semis already looks closed with virtually no chance of rain coming to their rescue.
The Aussies would sneak into the knockout stages if Saturday’s final group 1 match between England and Sri Lanka was washed out but Mother Nature isn’t playing ball.
There is hardly a cloud in the sky above the Sydney Cricket Ground and the forecast for rain is 1%.
So much for the wettest year on record.
That leaves Australia with only one remaining path to stay alive – they now need Sri Lanka to beat the Poms.
CAN SRI LANKA SEND AUSSIES THROUGH?
Australia is hours away from learning whether its T20 World Cup defence is over.
The reigning champion paid the price for a disastrous loss to New Zealand in its tournament opener, finishing the Super 12 stage with a net run rate of -0.173.
New Zealand has booked its passage to the final four after finishing equal on seven points with Australia, but with a far superior NRR of 2.112.
Aaron Finch’s men needed to defeat Afghanistan by about 60 runs in their final Super 12 match to overhaul England’s NRR of 0.547, but only fell over the line on Adelaide on Friday night.
While that result has saved the Australians a nervous night calculating NRR changes, it means only a Sri Lankan win will secure them a spot in the semi-finals.
Sri Lanka has four points and cannot qualify, although it could still finish third in Group 1 ahead of England.
Tonight’s match starts at 7pm. Follow the latest talking points from the SCG here.
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