England into World T20 Semi-finals

26 Mar 2016 | Cricket
England reached the semi-finals of the ICC World Twenty20 for the first time since they lifted the trophy in 2010 with a dramatic 10-run win over Sri Lanka in New Delhi.
Jos Buttler thrashed 66 from 37 balls as England posted 171 for four from their 20 overs, and that looked way out of Sri Lanka's reach when they crumbled to 15 for four in reply.

However, skipper Angelo Mathews made a valiant unbeaten 73 from 54 deliveries - despite picking up a hamstring injury - and found willing allies in Chamara Kapugedera, Thisara Perera and Dasun Chanaka.

With 22 needed from the last 12 balls, Sri Lanka were perhaps marginal favourites, but the excellent Chris Jordan, who finished with 4-28, and Ben Stokes held their nerve at the death.

The equation before the match for Eoin Morgan's side was simple - win and progress, or lose and go home, but after being put in first on a surface offering some variable bounce the England innings got off to a shaky start.

Alex Hales, returning to the side after missing the Afghanistan match through injury, was trapped lbw by Rangana Herath for a duck in the second over - a maiden - as England took 20 balls to find the boundary.

Jason Roy and Joe Root gradually increased the tempo before the latter pulled a Jeffrey Vandersay long-hop to deep midwicket on 25.

Roy hit England's first sixes of the innings but perished on 42 as he attempted a heave across the line to leg-spinner Vandersay and was trapped lbw.

With 65 on the board at the halfway stage, England needed a strong finish and Buttler duly delivered. He joined Eoin Morgan in a stand of 74, with the wicketkeeper bringing up his half-century with an enormous six over mid-off.

In total 72 runs were added in the last five overs, and although Morgan was run out for 22 in the last over, Stokes hit the only ball he faced for six and Buttler cleared the rope again late on.

David Willey had the dangerous Tillakaratne Dilshan caught by Hales at deep square-leg with the third ball of the Sri Lankan reply and when Jordan had Dinesh Chandimal caught behind in the next over England were well on top.

It was to get even better, with Milinda Siriwardana picking out Morgan at mid-off the ball after carting Willey for six and Stokes running out Lahiru Thirimanne after Mathews refused a single.

Mathews and Kapugedera gradually rebuilt but the introduction of spinners Adil Rashid and Moeen Ali saw a flurry of sixes as the pair's combined four overs cost 63.

Liam Plunkett had Kapugedera held in the deep by Stokes for 30, and Perera chipped Jordan to Willey at mid-off after a couple of lusty blows in his 11-ball 20.

Chanaka also dealt predominantly in boundaries - with Mathews' increasing injury concerns limiting the number of singles available - but with 17 needed from 10 balls fell to a stunning Root catch off Jordan.

Herath had his middle stump pegged back by Jordan and, with 15 needed from the final set of six, Stokes fired in a succession of accurate yorkers.

England return to Cardiff this year for two Royal London One-Day Internationals as Glamorgan host the final games of both the Sri Lanka and Pakistan Royal London Series at The SSE SWALEC. Adult tickets are priced from £35, juniors £10, and a family ticket only £80. Click here for further details