England secured the third and final T20I against Sri Lanka with a closely contested victory, defending a small total successfully to win the series. In a low-scoring thriller with regular wickets and nail-biting reviews, it was Sam Curran who stole the show, taking home both the Man of the Match and Man of the Series awards.
England innings: Curran Rescues England from Collapse
England's start to their innings was nothing short of disastrous, as the Sri Lankan bowlers made the most of the initial movement on offer. The English team was in disarray in the powerplay, scoring only 35 runs while losing four wickets in the first six overs.
Ben Duckett was the first to go, as early as over 0.2, after a successful review by the Sri Lankan team, setting the tone for the English team's dismal display. The English team struggled to find their footing, reaching 50 in 8.2 overs.
Another turning point was at a score of over 9.1, where Sam Curran was given out initially, but the review by Sri Lanka confirmed the decision. At the halfway stage, England were struggling at 59/5 during the drinks break.
Just when the innings was on the verge of falling apart, Sam Curran played a composed and vital innings. Showing a lot of character in the face of adversity, Curran held the innings together, scoring a well-deserved 50 off 44 deliveries, including four fours and a six. However, the innings saw frequent wickets, and there was no late surge either.
England finally closed their innings at 128/9 in 20 overs, a total that looked quite competitive only because of Curran’s gritty performance.
Sri Lanka Innings: Promising Start, Costly Middle Overs
Sri Lanka needed 129 to win, and they started well, scoring 46 runs in the powerplay, although they lost two wickets in the process. They reached 50 in 6.6 overs without losing any extras.
However, the momentum quickly changed in the middle overs. Frequent wickets slowed down the pace, and by the time of the drinks break, Sri Lanka was struggling at 62/4, with the pressure firmly back on the hosts.
The turning point came in over 13.1, where PHKD Mendis was given out after a review that did not go in favor of Sri Lanka. Even as they reached 100 in 15.4 overs, the required rate of runs kept mounting.
Drama towards the end came as another review in over 19.1 led to the dismissal of M Pathirana, sealing the fate of Sri Lanka. The hosts were eventually bowled out for 116 in 19.3 overs, coming 12 runs short of the target.
Curran performed well
In a match where bowlers and review decisions dominated, the all-round composure of Sam Curran made all the difference. His fighting half-century under pressure not only helped England reach a defendable total but also won him the Man of the Match and Man of the Series award, rounding off an excellent T20I series performance.
The excellent bowling display by England ensured that Sri Lanka never really got back on track, thus bringing the series to a fitting end in the final match.