England returned to the top of the T20 world rankings as they earned arguably their most emphatic win yet in a series of drubbings dished out to Sri Lanka, beating the tourists by eight wickets at Emirates Old Trafford.
Off the back of 119-run and six-wicket wins in the opening two games, Harry Brook’s side clinched a 3-0 series sweep as his 33 off 21 balls, plus Jos Buttler’s unbeaten 62 off 32 fired the hosts to their 125-run target in a mere 9.4 overs.
Aneurin Donald (13 off 6) could only manage a brief cameo with the bat for the third time in the series – stumped off Tharindu Ratnayake – while Brook was run out just shy of victory, one that Buttler clinched with a stunning one-handed six over deep midwicket to make it 15 wins in a row for England against Sri Lanka in T20 internationals.
Pathum Nissanka (36 off 24) had briefly given cause for optimism – despite the early wickets of Lahiru Udara (10), to a strong catch from Buttler in the swirling wind, and Kamil Mishara (2) – as he cleared the rope on three occasions in the opening powerplay.
Nissanka was a touch unlucky to ultimately perish in the seventh over, with Brook taking a terrific, diving catch at midwicket off one nailed out of the middle of the Sri Lankan opener’s bat.
Skipper Charith Asalanka’s innings was a sedentary 16 off 14 deliveries before being run out by Jacks – only just – after he nearly missed the stumps altogether with his take at the non-striker’s end.
Kamindu Mendis (35 off 28) struck a couple of heavy-handed blows, but he too was lacking in support and the Sri Lankan collapse was well and truly in force by the time he picked out Jacks on the deep midwicket fence.
The tourists lost their last six wickets for 17 runs in less than five overs, with Wanindu Hasaranga’s dismal departure – hit wicket off Archer after nearly swinging himself off his feet – pretty symptomatic of Sri Lanka’s struggles in the series.
And they have got little time to rectify things for the three-match one-day international series which follows and gets under way in Durham on Tuesday.