England's dominance in their T20 series against Sri Lanka reached new heights on Wednesday as Jacob Bethell's unorthodox spin proved instrumental in securing a 12-run win. The tourists' impressive batting display was overshadowed by the impressive showing from the part-time bowlers, who consistently outperformed the opposition.
Sam Curran's 58 off just 48 balls set the tone for England's total of 128 runs, but it was their bowlers that ultimately sealed the deal. Adil Rashid and Liam Dawson provided a solid foundation with their wicket-taking performances, but it was Bethell and Will Jacks who stole the show.
Bethell, a left-arm spinner, took four wickets for just 11 runs off his allotted nine overs, while Jacks claimed three for 14 to leave Sri Lanka reeling. The duo's partnership proved crucial in dismantling the opposition's tail, with Bethell and Jacks combining to restrict the run rate to under six runs per over.
Sri Lanka's batting lineup was inconsistent throughout the innings, with several players falling victim to the English bowlers' clever planning. Dushmantha Chameera's five-wicket haul was a highlight for the hosts, but it ultimately wasn't enough to stem the tide.
The turning point came when England's captain, Harry Brook, decided to bat first, which proved to be a masterstroke. The move gave England a chance to get on top of the game early, and their part-time bowlers capitalized on the opportunity.
In the end, it was Bethell who emerged as the hero of the day, his unorthodox spin proving too much for Sri Lanka's batsmen to handle. His final delivery in the 20th over sealed the win for England, with Maheesh Theekshana's slog shot producing a looping edge that fell to short third man.
The win marked England's fifth consecutive white-ball victory and sets them up nicely for their upcoming World Cup campaign. With this series under their belt, they'll be looking to build on their momentum and make a deep run in the tournament.
Sam Curran's 58 off just 48 balls set the tone for England's total of 128 runs, but it was their bowlers that ultimately sealed the deal. Adil Rashid and Liam Dawson provided a solid foundation with their wicket-taking performances, but it was Bethell and Will Jacks who stole the show.
Bethell, a left-arm spinner, took four wickets for just 11 runs off his allotted nine overs, while Jacks claimed three for 14 to leave Sri Lanka reeling. The duo's partnership proved crucial in dismantling the opposition's tail, with Bethell and Jacks combining to restrict the run rate to under six runs per over.
Sri Lanka's batting lineup was inconsistent throughout the innings, with several players falling victim to the English bowlers' clever planning. Dushmantha Chameera's five-wicket haul was a highlight for the hosts, but it ultimately wasn't enough to stem the tide.
The turning point came when England's captain, Harry Brook, decided to bat first, which proved to be a masterstroke. The move gave England a chance to get on top of the game early, and their part-time bowlers capitalized on the opportunity.
In the end, it was Bethell who emerged as the hero of the day, his unorthodox spin proving too much for Sri Lanka's batsmen to handle. His final delivery in the 20th over sealed the win for England, with Maheesh Theekshana's slog shot producing a looping edge that fell to short third man.
The win marked England's fifth consecutive white-ball victory and sets them up nicely for their upcoming World Cup campaign. With this series under their belt, they'll be looking to build on their momentum and make a deep run in the tournament.
, I'm so hyped about England's win!!! Their bowlers were literally ON FIRE 
! Adil Rashid, Liam Dawson, Jacob Bethell & Will Jacks all stepped up to the plate (pun intended) and showed Sri Lanka who's boss 
. That unorthodox spin by Bethell was genius 
, he completely outsmarted the opposition. The fact that they were able to restrict Sri Lanka's run rate to under six runs per over is a huge testament to their skills.
! And can we talk about Sam Curran's batting display? 58 off just 48 balls? 
. Bring on the next match! 
and liam dawson was on fire too! sam curran set the tone with that 58 off 48 but the real heroes were our part-time bowlers 
bethell and jacks combo is like a match-winning machine 
England's T20 squad is getting better & better! Their bowlers are literally unstoppable right now 
Jacob Bethell is a game-changer! His unorthodox spin is so tricky for batsmen, I'm loving it 
And let's not forget about Sam Curran's 58 off 48 balls, he's on fire 
They're definitely setting a high standard for themselves ahead of the World Cup 
I'm not entirely convinced by Bethell's unorthodox spin being the game-changer here... I mean, 4 wickets for just 11 runs is impressive, but was it really that unusual? Have we seen similar performances from other bowlers before? Also, Sri Lanka's batting lineup has been struggling for a while now, maybe this is just another sign of how inconsistent they are. And let's not forget, it was Harry Brook's decision to bat first that swung the game in England's favor - shouldn't we be giving more credit to their captaincy than just one bowler? 
. I mean, who needs conventional when you can outsmart the opposition with some cleverly placed googlies? 
. The way they worked together to restrict Sri Lanka's run rate was pure magic 
. England's got this World Cup thing in the bag, mark my words 
. They're like the ultimate spoilers, taking all the fun out of cricket. I mean, who needs variety when you can have the same old England team winning every time? And don't even get me started on their bowlers - Adil Rashid and Liam Dawson are okay, but where's the excitement in watching a bunch of guys bowling at 80mph? 
... always a little "off-balance"! But seriously, Jacob Bethell's unorthodox spin was on point today 
. On a more serious note, this win is a great omen for their World Cup campaign. England's part-time bowlers are like the dynamic duo of cricket – Adil Rashid and Liam Dawson are on fire 
So when England's captain decided to bat first, he basically flipped the script on Sri Lanka's gameplan. And for Bethell, that unorthodox spin just went from 'part-time' bowler to total boss 
!