Sam Curran, the left-arm seamer from Surrey, took his second hat-trick in T20 internationals as England beat Sri Lanka by 11 runs to take a 1-0 lead in their three-match series.
Curran's performance was a turning point for England, who had been struggling with their bowling attack after losing five wickets for 22 runs against the Sri Lankan batsmen. The Surrey all-rounder took three wickets from his last three balls in the 16th over, dismissing Dasun Shanaka and two lower-order batsmen Maheesh Theekshana and Matheesha Pathirana.
Curran's hat-trick marked the end of Sri Lanka's innings at 133 for all out. England had batted first, reaching a total of 125-4 in their 15 overs before rain interrupted the match. Phil Salt had top-scored with 46 from his 35 deliveries for England.
The win marked England's ninth successive T20 international victory over Sri Lanka and put them 1-0 up in the series. The next match is scheduled for Sunday at the same ground.
Curran's performance was a turning point for England, who had been struggling with their bowling attack after losing five wickets for 22 runs against the Sri Lankan batsmen. The Surrey all-rounder took three wickets from his last three balls in the 16th over, dismissing Dasun Shanaka and two lower-order batsmen Maheesh Theekshana and Matheesha Pathirana.
Curran's hat-trick marked the end of Sri Lanka's innings at 133 for all out. England had batted first, reaching a total of 125-4 in their 15 overs before rain interrupted the match. Phil Salt had top-scored with 46 from his 35 deliveries for England.
The win marked England's ninth successive T20 international victory over Sri Lanka and put them 1-0 up in the series. The next match is scheduled for Sunday at the same ground.
I think what impressed me most about Sam Curran's performance was his adaptability under pressure - he was able to capitalize on a crucial juncture in the game by taking three crucial wickets from his last three balls 
. The fact that England's bowling attack had been struggling earlier in the match made his hat-trick all the more remarkable 
. His ability to shift gears and take control of the game was a testament to his skill and composure as an all-rounder 
. The win also highlights the dominance of English T20 cricket over Sri Lanka, which raises interesting questions about the relative strengths and weaknesses of their respective teams 
.
! He really turned it around for England with those three wickets on the last three balls 
. Sri Lanka was struggling to cope with their bowling attack after that 22-run meltdown and Curran's hat-trick sealed the deal 
. It's like he took charge of the game and led England to victory 
! Now they're leading the series 1-0, let's see if they can keep it up 
. I'm so hyped for the next match on Sunday, it's gonna be a real nail-biter 
. #CricketFever #SamCurran #T20Intense
his hat-trick was everything I didn't know they could even do that in T20 cricket 
the way he just took out those Sri Lankan batsmen in the last three balls must've been so satisfying for England fans. and that's why they're leading the series now 
Their bowling attack was struggling but Curran came through in a BIG way 
The Sri Lankan batsmen didn't stand a chance 
. I'm loving the confidence boost for England ahead of the next match on Sunday 
. Bring it on! 
is like a dark horse 
he came out of nowhere & totally changed the game 
9th t20 win over sri lanka is impressive 
sunday can't come soon enough 
️, I was on the edge of my seat watching that! And can you believe he took two wickets to go with his first hat-trick? It's like he had a sixth sense or something 
. England needed this win so badly and now they're looking strong for the rest of the series 
!
And let's be real, Sri Lanka were struggling to get their act together anyway. It wasn't like they were dominating or anything... 11 runs difference isn't massive, so I'm not getting too excited just yet. Still, it's a solid start for England and I think they've got this series in the bag 
. And now, with the series 1-0 up, they're looking solid for the next match on Sunday 
. The fact that England's bowling attack had been struggling prior to this point highlights Curran's importance as a game-changer 
. It's exciting to see England take a 1-0 lead in the series, and I'm eager to see how they'll build upon this momentum 
! i was thinking he had a tough game but that hat-trick changed everything 
️... it looked like they just wanted to cut off England's momentum 
. I mean, what are the chances that the rain just decides to show up exactly when England is about to declare their innings? 
And have you noticed how Sri Lanka has been losing like left and right in this series? 
, like, five wickets for 22 runs is just crazy 
. maybe england can keep this momentum going for the rest of the series? 
now, i'm not saying there's a conspiracy or anything (just kidding... kinda), but is it possible that england knew the match was gonna be washed out and just took it easy? 
... what a turnaround for the team! 