In a stunning turn of events, England’s reign as the 50-over World Cup champion has been cast into serious doubt after a resolute performance by Sri Lanka. On Thursday, Pathum Nissanka and Sadeera Samarawickrama’s fifty-run partnerships, coupled with exceptional bowling, led Sri Lanka to an emphatic eight-wicket victory.

A Struggling England

England, choosing to bat first, suffered a bewildering batting collapse, being dismissed for a meager 156 runs. The primary culprits were the comeback man Angelo Mathews, who claimed 2 wickets for 14 runs, and the impressive Lahiru Kumara, who took 3 wickets for 35 runs.

A Sri Lankan Triumph

Despite losing a couple of early wickets, Sri Lanka confidently chased down the target. Pathum Nissanka, who scored 77 runs off 83 balls, and Sadeera Samarawickrama, with his 65 off 54 balls, played a pivotal role in this victory with an unbroken 137-run partnership for the third wicket.

England’s World Cup Hopes Dwindling

With just two points from five matches, England now retains only a theoretical chance of making it to the semifinals. In contrast, Sri Lanka, with four points, has a stronger foothold in the competition.

A Glimpse of Hope

England managed to dismiss opener Kusal Perera and Lankan captain Kusal Mendis early on, reducing their opponents to 23 for 2. However, Nissanka and Samarawickrama, two of SL’s best ODI batters this year, combined to produce a solid partnership to ease Lanka’s nerves.

A Battle of Determination

The right-handers displayed moments of elegance but prioritized compactness to secure their partnership. Occasionally, they unleashed their natural batting prowess, with Samarawickrama’s exquisite drives and Nissanka’s daring six over long-on.

A Day of Lacking Determination

Unfortunately, England’s performance lacked determination. While Ben Stokes (43) and Dawid Malan (28) made noteworthy contributions, they were the only ones who showed any intention to bat with purpose in this must-win match.

Batsmen’s Struggles

Joe Root got run out attempting a non-existent single, Jos Buttler’s aggressive drive ended in a catch behind, Jonny Bairstow mistimed a pull, and Liam Livingstone fell prey to an LBW. These were expected to be the leading figures of England’s batting charge, but they failed to deliver.

Stokes’ Brave Effort

Stokes did try to carry the weight on his shoulders, but a tough chance dropped by Samarawickrama off Kumara when Stokes was on 12 didn’t change the course of the game. His dismissal marked the end of England’s chances of posting a challenging total.

The Comedy of Errors

Rashid’s comical run-out symbolized England’s struggles with the bat. The inept batting display shouldn’t overshadow the remarkable performance of the Lankan bowlers, particularly Lahiru Kumara.

Conclusion

In a surprising turn of events, England’s World Cup campaign is teetering on the edge. Their inconsistent batting and a formidable Sri Lankan side have put their title defense in jeopardy. They will need to regroup and come back stronger to keep their hopes alive in the tournament.

In a World Cup match held on Wednesday, Afghanistan received a harsh reality check from New Zealand, just four days after their victory over defending champions England. New Zealand dominated the game, securing a resounding 149-run victory.

With this win, New Zealand remains undefeated in the tournament, reclaiming the top spot with their fourth consecutive victory. Afghanistan, tasked with chasing a challenging target of 289 on a spinner-friendly wicket at Chepauk, struggled and could only manage 139 runs in 34.4 overs.

Lockie Ferguson, with figures of 3/19 in 7 overs, proved too fast for the Afghan batsmen, while Mitchell Santner’s bowling (3/39 in 7.4 overs) created significant problems, with his deliveries often turning sharply.

New Zealand’s path to victory was paved by the exceptional batting performances of Will Young (54), Tom Latham (68), and Glenn Phillips (71), helping them post a total of 288/6 in 50 overs.

Afghanistan’s chase was marred by a rocky start, as they were reduced to 43 for 3 by the 14th over. Skipper Hashmatullah Shahidi (8) was the third wicket to fall, courtesy of Lockie Ferguson. Rahmat Shah (36) and Azmatullah Omarzai (27) briefly stabilized the innings with a 54-run partnership for the fourth wicket. However, they struggled to score freely due to the challenging conditions.

In the 26th over, pacer Trent Boult broke the partnership by dismissing Omarzai. From there on, Afghanistan struggled to find answers, losing wickets at regular intervals.

Before their batting innings, New Zealand overcame a mini mid-innings slump to post a commendable total. The Afghan fielding side had some lapses, dropping five catches, which made things even more challenging for them, particularly Rashid Khan.

Despite the occasional setbacks, New Zealand’s trio of half-centuries, contributed by Young, Latham, and Phillips, ensured they posted a competitive total on a challenging pitch. The partnership between Phillips and Latham, worth 144 runs for the fifth wicket, was particularly crucial and could prove to be a game-changer.

New Zealand, put in to bat first, lost opener Devon Conway (20) early in the seventh over, as spinner Mujeeb Ur Rahman trapped him leg-before. However, Young and Rachin Ravindra (32) steadied the ship, forming a convincing 79-run partnership for the second wicket.

Afghanistan missed a chance to dismiss Ravindra, and the Black Caps’ batters pressured spinner Mohammad Nabi, attacking him regularly. In the 21st over, pacer Azmatullah Omarzai cleaned up Ravindra, breaking the partnership. This marked a brief collapse for New Zealand, losing Young and Daryl Mitchell (1) by the 22nd over, to Omarzai and spinner Rashid Khan, respectively.

Despite some opportunities, Afghanistan couldn’t capitalize on New Zealand’s difficulties. Skipper Latham and Phillips provided another substantial partnership, as both batsmen reached their respective half-centuries. As the duo accelerated the scoring rate in the latter part of their innings, their partnership was finally broken by pacer Naveen-ul-Haq in the 48th over, with both batsmen departing.

However, Mark Chapman (25 not out) played a late cameo, hitting two fours and a six, ensuring that New Zealand crossed the 275-run mark.

For Afghanistan, Omarzai and Naveen were the standout bowlers, claiming two wickets each, while Rashid Khan maintained an economical spell.

In summary, New Zealand’s solid batting display and effective bowling proved too much for Afghanistan in a one-sided match. The Black Caps maintained their unbeaten streak in the tournament and reclaimed the top spot in the standings.

Australia’s Adam Zampa, Josh Inglis, and Mitchell Marsh rose to the occasion, reinvigorating their faltering World Cup campaign with a resounding five-wicket victory over Sri Lanka on Monday.

Zampa, the leg-spinner, was the star of the show, claiming four crucial wickets to help dismiss Sri Lanka for a mere 209 runs, despite Kusal Perera’s impressive 78 and Pathum Nissanka’s 61.

Initially appearing poised for a 300-plus total, Sri Lanka suffered a shocking batting collapse, losing all ten wickets for just 84 runs.

Inglis, who notched his maiden World Cup half-century with 58 runs, Marsh (52), and Marnus Labuschagne (40) then anchored Australia’s chase, successfully achieving the target in 35.2 overs and bolstering their net run rate in the process.

With their first win of the tournament, Australia surged to eighth place in the standings, while Sri Lanka’s hopes of reaching the semifinals were severely hampered as they languished in ninth place with three losses from as many games.

Defending a below-par total, Dilshan Madushanka (3/38) spearheaded a fiery opening spell, including a maiden over and a double-wicket maiden, dismissing star batsmen David Warner and Steve Smith.

Warner opted for a review when the on-field umpire declared him out, but the Decision Review System (DRS) upheld the decision, leaving the left-hander disgruntled. Meanwhile, Smith fell LBW.

While Madushanka remained economical, Marsh unleashed a flurry of boundaries, collecting 12 runs from young spinner Dunith Wellalage in the ninth over. He raced to his half-century but was dismissed by a sharp throw from Chamika Karunaratne, with wicketkeeper Kushal Mendis ensuring the stumps were disturbed.

Inglis, playing in only his second World Cup match, displayed confidence in the middle and shared a 77-run partnership with Labuschagne, propelling Australia past the 200-run mark for the first time in this World Cup edition.

Prior to this, the struggling Kusal Perera found some much-needed form, and Nissanka registered his second consecutive half-century.

Australia’s fortunes were revived by Zampa, who had been enduring a difficult tournament. The wrist spinner delivered a stellar performance, contributing to Sri Lanka’s dismissal in 43.3 overs.

The match also saw some on-field drama when Mitchell Starc halted his delivery stride three times to warn Perera not to leave the crease early at the non-striker’s end. Perera was also struck on the head by a Marcus Stoinis bouncer, but he continued and reached his fifty.

With both openers accumulating runs, Australian bowlers appeared flummoxed, but skipper Pat Cummins continued to rotate his bowlers, seeking that all-important breakthrough. Eventually, Cummins, who hadn’t been at his best with the ball, made a pivotal contribution.

He cramped Nissanka for space, leading to a high shot caught brilliantly by Warner. Cummins’ next delivery cleaned up Perera, who misjudged the line, marking the start of Australia’s dominance as the Sri Lankan batting order unraveled.

Zampa (4/47) dismissed the in-form Kusal Mendis, with Warner taking a spectacular diving catch. Other victims of Zampa included Sadeera Samarawickrama, Chamika Karunaratne, and Maheesh Theekshana, while Starc chipped in with two wickets.

Except for the openers and Charith Asalanka’s 25, no Sri Lankan batsman managed to reach double digits.