England seal series with Cardiff blitz

Liam Dawson was at the heart of England’s performance, claiming three wickets for 32 runs and taking two catches to earn Player of the Match honours. Sri Lanka made a flying start through Pathum Nissanka and Lahiru Udara, who put on 56 for the opening wicket.

Nissanka struck 37 from 21 balls, including four fours and a six, before Jamie Overton ended the partnership. Dawson then seized control. The left-arm spinner dismissed Udara for 21 and removed Kamil Mishara without scoring in successive deliveries, before returning later to send Dasun Shanaka back for four.

Sri Lanka slipped from 56 for one to 56 for two and then struggled to build sustained momentum. Captain Charith Asalanka offered resistance with 31 from 31 balls, while Wanindu Hasaranga struck 27 from 22.

But England's bowlers kept taking wickets at crucial moments. Overton finished with two for 23, while Jofra Archer also claimed two wickets. Sri Lanka managed 145 for nine, a total that looked vulnerable on a good Cardiff surface.

England's response was immediate. Jos Buttler and Aneurin Donald raced to a 51-run opening stand, reaching the 50 mark in only 27 balls. Buttler hammered 30 from 16 balls before Chameera dismissed him, while Donald fell for 21.

Harry Brook briefly turned the chase into a fireworks display, smashing 23 from just eight deliveries with three sixes. Hasaranga eventually removed the England captain, but Sri Lanka could not stem the flow. Tom Banton took over.

The right-hander produced a blistering unbeaten 52 from 24 balls, striking two fours and four sixes. He reached his fifty from only 24 deliveries and finished the contest with a boundary-laden assault that left Sri Lanka's attack scrambling for answers.

Jordan Cox added 12 from seven before falling with England needing only 10 runs. Banton remained unbeaten alongside Will Jacks, who hit the winning runs as England reached 146 for four after 12.1 overs. England's victory was built on disciplined bowling followed by an extraordinary batting surge.

Sri Lanka, meanwhile, were left to rue another promising start that failed to translate into a competitive total. With England now 2-0 ahead in the three-match series, the final T20I will be Sri Lanka's last opportunity to salvage a result from the tour's shortest format.