Bengaluru: England’s top six batsmen found themselves in dire straits within the first 25 overs of the World Cup match in Bengaluru. The captain of England, Jos Buttler, won the toss and elected to bat first. The team made a promising start, but Sri Lanka quickly regained control. Veteran Angelo Mathews took a wicket in the seventh over, marking his first in over three years in One Day International (ODI) cricket.
Unfortunately for England, things went from bad to worse. Key batsmen, including Jonny Bairstow, Joe Root, and Jos Buttler, were dismissed before the 16th over, leaving England reeling. Ben Stokes attempted to stabilize the innings and built a partnership with Moeen Ali, but Mathews struck again, ending Ali’s brief innings at 15 runs.
Chris Woakes followed, falling victim to a brilliant catch by Sadeera Samarawickrama, leaving England heavily reliant on Stokes to salvage their innings and post a competitive total. However, the England Test captain was dismissed for 43 runs off 73 balls in the 31st over.
The 2023 World Cup has been a tumultuous and largely forgettable campaign for England so far. With just one win in their first four matches, they now face the daunting task of winning all their remaining five matches while hoping that the net run rate works in their favor. Their aggressive batting approach has faltered, and their bowlers have struggled to contain opponents.
Sri Lanka, their opponents on the day, have faced similar challenges. Although Kusal Mendis had shown excellent form earlier in the tournament, he has experienced a dip in performance in the last two matches.
England, as the 2019 World Cup winners, are under pressure to treat every match as a must-win encounter in the 2023 tournament. With three losses in their first four matches, they are determined to keep their campaign alive by defeating Sri Lanka in Bengaluru. High-stakes clashes against India and Australia are looming, making every victory crucial for England.
The pressure is mounting for England as they aim to turn their World Cup fortunes around and make their mark in this fiercely competitive tournament.