WATCH: Kusal Mendis fools Adil Rashid with sharp thinking
England and Sri Lanka clashed in the ongoing ICC Cricket World Cup 2023 on October 26 in Bengaluru. England came into this match on the back of three consecutive losses, while Sri Lanka was also seeking a victory after a series of defeats.
Winning the toss, Jos Buttler, England’s captain chose to bat first. Despite Bengaluru's reputation as a batting-friendly venue in the World Cup 2023, England's innings unfolded differently. Dawid Malan (28) and Jonny Bairstow (30) provided England with a strong start, contributing 45 runs in 6.3 overs.
However, the Sri Lankan spinners swiftly dismissed them with Angelo Mathews claiming Malan’s wicket upon his return to the Sri Lanka side. Subsequently, it was a procession of wickets for the England team. The England scorecard read - Joe Root (3), Jos Buttler (8), Liam Livingstone (1), Moeen Ali (15), Ben Stokes (43), Chris Woakes (0), and David Willey (14*). In 33.2 overs, they were all out for 156 runs.
Kusal Mendis exhibits exceptional game awareness
Lahiru Kumara secured three wickets for Sri Lanka, while Kasun Rajitha and Angelo Mathews each took two.
Despite the setbacks, Sri Lanka's captain, Kusal Mendis, exhibited exceptional game awareness. In the last delivery of the 32nd over, Maheesh Theekshana bowled a wide down the leg-side, which Mendis cleanly gathered. However, the Sri Lankan captain noticed that Adil Rashid was out of the crease for some reason and swiftly launched a throw at the stumps. He made a direct hit and replays confirmed that Rashid’s bat fell short of the crease. As a result, the TV umpire ruled him out.
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