Photo via BBC Sport

England crush Sri Lanka to seal T20 series win

England secured an unassailable 2-0 lead in their T20 series after defeating Sri Lanka by six wickets in Cardiff. 1 overs behind an unbeaten 52 from Tom Banton, who struck four sixes during his 24-ball innings.

Jos Buttler contributed 30 and Aneurin Donald scored 21 in a rapid 51-run opening partnership, while captain Harry Brook belted three sixes in an eight-ball 23 before being caught by Eshan Malinga, falling short of breaking Tilak Varma's record of 336 consecutive international T20 runs without dismissal. Milan Rathnayake was among the wicket-takers for Sri Lanka, but Brendon McCullum's squad maintained their stellar run, having now won 22 of their last 25 completed T20 fixtures.

Earlier, Sri Lanka posted 145-9 despite a brisk 55-run opening stand across the first five overs led by Pathum Nissanka, who top-scored with 37 off 21 balls. The innings unraveled once Liam Dawson removed Lahiru Udara and Kamil Mishara in the sixth over, triggering a collapse of nine wickets for 90 runs and yielding merely 12 runs from the final four overs.

Dawson concluded with figures of 3-32, supported by Jamie Overton's 2-23, Sonny Baker's tidy 1-15 that included a 19th-over wicket maiden, and two late strikes from Jofra Archer. The tour continues with the final T20 match at Old Trafford on Saturday before a three-game one-day international series.