England Clinch Series as Sri Lanka Suffers 10th Consecutive T20I Defeat
By Lions Roar Aotearoa Sports Desk
PALLEKELE, SRI LANKA (Monday, February 2, 2026) — Sri Lanka’s struggle against England in the shortest format of the game reached a grim milestone yesterday as the hosts suffered a 6-wicket defeat in the second T20 International at the Pallekele International Cricket Stadium. With this loss, England has secured the three-match series with one game still to play.
The defeat marks Sri Lanka’s 10th consecutive T20I loss to England. The Lions have now failed to record a victory against the English side in this format for 12 years, with their last win dating back to 2014.
Batting first, Sri Lanka posted a formidable total of 189 for 5 in their allotted 20 overs. The top order showed aggression, setting England a challenging target of 190. However, the momentum was shifted by the elements. During England’s run chase, rain interrupted play, leading officials to revise the target via the Duckworth-Lewis-Stern (DLS) method. The visitors were eventually set a revised target of 168 runs in 17 overs.
England’s chase was anchored by a blistering half-century from Tom Banton, who smashed 54 runs off just 33 deliveries. Captain Harry Brook provided the finishing touch with a high-impact cameo, racing to 36 runs off a mere 12 balls. England reached the target with two balls to spare (16.4 overs), finishing at 171 for 4.
On the bowling front, Sri Lanka’s Matheesha Pathirana managed to claim 2 wickets, but he proved expensive in the high-pressure situation, conceding 47 runs in his 4 overs. Despite the competitive total posted by the batsmen, the inability to contain England’s middle order under wet conditions proved costly for Dasun Shanaka’s men.
The two teams will meet for the third and final T20I, where Sri Lanka will play for pride and look to finally end their long-standing winless drought against the clinical English side.
