England continued their decade-long dominance over Sri Lanka in T20 international cricket, securing an emphatic 6-wicket victory in the second T20I behind a destructive half-century from opener Tom Banton and disciplined bowling led by Liam Dawson.
With the win at Sophia Gardens in Cardiff on Thursday (September 17, 2026), the hosts took an unassailable lead in the 3-match T20 series. The victory marks England’s 14th consecutive unbeaten T20 match against Sri Lanka, extending a head-to-head streak that dates back to 2014.
Sent in to bat first, Sri Lanka managed only 145/9 in their allotted 20 overs. England chased down the 146-run target with remarkable ease, reaching 146/4 in just 12.1 overs with 47 balls to spare.
Sri Lanka’s bowling coach Ryan van Niekerk noted after the match that 200 runs could have been a par score on the batter-friendly surface. Despite a strong opening stand of 55 runs in the first 5 overs from Lahiru Udara and Pathum Nissanka, Sri Lanka’s middle order collapsed against England’s spin and seam attack. Sri Lanka managed only 90 runs while losing 9 wickets over their remaining 15 overs, picking up just 12 runs for 4 wickets in the final four overs. Spinner Liam Dawson took 3/23, while young paceman Sonny Baker chipped in with two key wickets.
England matched Sri Lanka’s explosive start by reaching 55 runs in their first 5 overs. Jos Buttler smashed a quickfire 30 off 16 balls, during which he achieved the historical milestone of becoming the first English batter to cross 15,000 runs in T20 cricket. Harry Brook maintained the momentum by striking three consecutive sixes off Wanindu Hasaranga in a single over.
The centerpiece of the chase was Tom Banton. While the entire Sri Lankan side hit only two sixes throughout their innings, Banton cleared the ropes multiple times on his own. He completed his 5th T20I half-century off just 31 balls—his career-fastest in international T20s—to steer England home comfortably.
