England clinches rain-affected T20 series against Sri Lanka with 6-wicket win

England secured a convincing six-wicket victory over Sri Lanka in the rain-affected second T20 at Pallekele on Monday, clinching the three-match series 2-0 with one game to spare. The win underlined England’s strong form just days before the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026 , co-hosted by India and Sri Lanka from February 7 to March 8.

Tom Banton starred for England, smashing an unbeaten 54 off 33 balls , including three sixes and four boundaries, to guide his team to a revised target of 168 in 17 overs under the DLS system. England finished on 173-4 in 16.4 overs , with Jos Buttler contributing a brisk 39 off 29 deliveries . England’s performance in Sri Lanka has been consistent throughout the series, having edged the opener by 11 runs under DLS, backed by a memorable display from Sam Curran and strong top-order batting from Phil Salt and others.

Sri Lanka, having lost the toss, posted 189-5 in their 20 overs, with Pavan Rathnayake top-scoring with 40 off 22 balls . Earlier, Pathum Nissanka scored 34 off 22 balls , sharing a 56-run opening stand with Kamil Mishara , who made 36. After early breakthroughs by Jofra Archer and Will Jacks , Sri Lanka’s innings was stabilized by Rathnayake and Charith Asalanka , who added 56 off 36 balls for the fifth wicket. England’s chase began cautiously, with Phil Salt falling for 1 and Jacob Bethell for 13, reaching 57-2 in 7.2 overs before rain interrupted play for around 75 minutes. Once resumed, Banton took control, first partnering with Buttler for 43 off 28 balls , then with skipper Harry Brook for 49 off 20 balls , before finishing the chase with Sam Curran (20 not out off 14 balls) . Brook’s quickfire hitting, including four sixes off 12 balls , brought England within reach before his dismissal.

Looking ahead to the T20 World Cup , England are drawn in Group C alongside Nepal, West Indies, Bangladesh, and Italy , with their campaign starting on February 8 in Mumbai against Nepal. While several of England’s group matches will be played in India, Sri Lanka will host some key fixtures during the tournament, including Super Eight and knockout games, offering familiar conditions for teams preparing there.

England’s dominant outings in Sri Lanka have reinforced their credentials as strong title contenders. Their batting depth, led by Banton, Buttler, and Brook, looks particularly potent on pitches favoring stroke play, while their overall strike rate remains one of the best in men’s T20Is. However, questions remain over consistency in the bowling attack, particularly among the pacers, who occasionally leak runs on spin-friendly surfaces. If England can fine-tune their bowling combinations while maintaining their batting firepower, they are likely to be strong contenders for a third T20 World Cup title, having previously won in 2010 and 2022 .

The third and final T20I of the series will be played at Pallekele on Tuesday before both teams turn their full focus to the upcoming World Cup.