England's death bowling prowess played a crucial role in their progress to the World Twenty20 final and could be a potent weapon against the big-hitting West Indies batsmen at Eden Gardens on Sunday. While England have eked out victories in their last two matches by being miserly in the final overs, West Indies have largely banked on their powerful batsmen to chase down targets in the tournament. Ben Stokes and Chris Jordan defended 22 runs in the final two overs as England beat Sri Lanka by 10 runs while the fast bowling duo gave away just 20 in the last four in the semi-final against New Zealand. England captain Eoin Morgan said that gave his side extra confidence going into the title clash against the hard-hitting Caribbean team. "It's a small ground here given that it could be a good wicket, that's going to be a key area for us," Morgan told reporters on Saturday.
Images from Day 4 of the second Test between Sri Lanka and India in Colombo, on Sunday.
Images from Day 2 of the first Test between Sri Lanka and India in Galle, on Friday.
Sri Lanka salvaged some pride after battering Pakistan by 165 runs in the fifth and final One-dayer at Hambantota on Sunday.
India were dismissed for a paltry 101 in 18.5 overs by the inexperienced Lankan pace trio of debutant Kasun Rajitha (3 for 23) Dasun Shanaka (3 for 16) and Dushmantha Chameera (2 for 14).
A livid India captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni on Tuesday took a dig at the pitch prepared for the first T20 International terming it an "English" rather than Indian track. Indian batsmen were all at sea against the seam and bounce extracted by rookie Sri Lanka pacers to get all-out for 101 in 18.5 overs thereby losing the match by five wickets. "The wicket was completely different to what we have been playing in the last one month (in Australia). It was more like an English wicket. There was spongy bounce, and variable pace. The wicket was also not rolled properly. Looking at the wicket, we should not have played a few big shots that we played," Dhoni said at the post-match presentation ceremony. Asked if it was difficult to adjust to the Indian conditions after playing a month in Australia, Dhoni's sarcastic reply was: "It was more English conditions than Indian conditions."
IMAGES from Day 1 of the 1st Test between Australia and Sri Lanka on Thursday
Images from Day 2 of the second Test between Sri Lanka and India in Colombo, on Friday.
The swashbuckling middle-order batsman scored 153, adding a record 78 for the final wicket with number 11 Vishwa Fernando, to guide his team to an epic one-wicket victory in the first Test against South Africa.
Part-time spinner Kraigg Brathwaite took six wickets in an inspired bowling performance as West Indies bowled Sri Lanka out for 206 in their second innings to leave the touring side with a target of 244 to win the second Test.
England moved towards victory in the second Test against Sri Lanka whose batsmen showed sufficient resolve on Sunday to push the game into a fourth day if not affect a result that still seems inevitable.
Three Sri Lanka players and India's Ishant Sharma were found guilty of breaching the ICC Code of Conduct in two separate incidents during the penultimate day's play in the third Test at the Sinhalese Sports Club in Colombo.
Images of the third day's play of the second Test between India and Sri Lanka being played in Colombo.
The visitors never got going as spinners Ravichandran Ashwin (4/67) and Ravindra Jadeja (3/56) along with comeback-man Ishant Sharma (3/37) shared the spoils.
South Africa need five wickets on Friday to secure victory in the first Test after Sri Lanka provided dogged resistance and were 240 for five at stumps on the fourth day at St George's Park in Port Elizabeth.
Dhananjaya de Silva enhanced his rapidly-growing reputation with an unbeaten 43 as he kept South Africa's strike bowlers at bay to see Sri Lanka to 181 for seven in their first innings at the end of the second day of the first Test on Tuesday. The 25-year-old, who hit a six with his first scoring shot when he made his Test debut against Australia in July, brought Sri Lanka within 105 runs of South Africa's first innings total of 286 before bad light stopped play for the day.
Kumar Sangakkara remained unbeaten after a sparkling half-century as Sri Lanka responded well to the challenge of scoring 370 runs in four sessions in order to win the first Test against South Africa on Saturday.
England were reeling at 89-4 when Buttler somewhat steadied the innings before Curran clobbered six sixes in his blistering 64 to help them to a competitive score.
Sri Lanka lost early wickets in their second innings but extended their lead to 220 runs over Pakistan in the third and final Test in Sharjah to boost their chances of a series victory.
'The strange thing is that they (Sri Lanka) did not face any problem till the lunch time of the second day. But as soon as they were handed masks following lunch, the 6 to 7 players were seen wearing masks on the field. And the two fast bowlers who were already facing problems were handed bowling'
India hammered Sri Lanka inside four days to win the 2nd Test in Nagpur on Monday. The hosts bundled out Sri Lanka for 166 shortly after fourth day's lunch to thump them by an innings and 239 runs, the margin equalling their triumph against Bangladesh in a 2007 Test in Dhaka. Here are the statistical highlights from the fourth day's play of the second Test between India and Sri Lanka in Nagpur.
Lakmal's sensational spell, in which he struck thrice without conceding a run in six overs, saw him remove opener Lokesh Rahul on the first ball of the match after play began three and a half hours late due to wet conditions.
Sri Lankan cricket and the island's once-powerful side arrive at the World Cup struggling for form under a newly appointed captain who has played a single One-day international since 2015.
Steve Smith and Aaron Finch struck half-centuries to help Australia to a three-wicket win over Sri Lanka in the first One-day international in Colombo on Sunday. Sri Lanka, who lost the toss and were sent out to bat on a dry, turning wicket, set the visitors a target of 228, but Australia successfully chased them down with 19 balls to spare to give them the lead in the five-match series.
Sri Lanka beat England by 90 runs in the sixth One-Day International at Pallekele on Saturday to take an unbeatable 4-2 lead in their seven-match series.
Sri Lanka's chairman of selectors Sanath Jayasuriya has said that the hastily-arranged five-match ODI series in India, to be held in early next month, will help the fringe players prove their worth before next year's World Cup.
Martin Guptill struck his third Test century while Kane Williamson fell just short his 13th as New Zealand blunted Sri Lanka's inexperienced bowling attack to set themselves up for a big total in the first Test in Dunedin on Thursday.
Star batsman Rohit Sharma's finger fracture is not only a blow to the Indian team but a big setback for Mumbai Indians as well, who will be playing their Champions League T20 qualifiers starting September 13, in Raipur.
If KL Rahul is fit, Abhinav Mukund will be expectedly left out, a strange coincidence because he was the original back-up opener in this Test squad ahead of Shikhar Dhawan.
India gave themselves a boost before next month's Twenty20 World Cup at home as Ravichandran Ashwin grabbed four wickets in their series-clinching nine-wicket victory over Sri Lanka in the third and final Twenty20 international on Sunday.
A ruthless India equalled their biggest victory margin, decimating a lacklustre Sri Lanka by an innings and 239 runs in the second Test to take a 1-0 lead in the three-match series.
Sri Lanka were never going to chase 410, but did well enough to bat as many as 102 overs in the second innings, finishing at 299 for five before the captains mutually agreed to a draw.
A hobbling Kane Williamson guided New Zealand to 142 for five at the close of play on the third day of the second Test against Sri Lanka in Hamilton, with the hosts needing another 47 runs to seal a 2-0 series sweep.
Kagiso Rabada claimed a six-wicket haul on Thursday as South Africa bowled Sri Lanka out for 224 in their second innings to win the second Test by 282 runs with a day and a half to spare and take an unassailable 2-0 lead in the three-match series. Sri Lanka failed to last the first session of the fourth day at Newlands, having resumed on 130-4 and being dismissed after just over 100 minutes of play.
Stuart Broad became the first England player to bag two Test hat-tricks and Liam Plunkett claimed his maiden five-wicket haul as Sri Lanka were bowled out for 257 on the opening day of the second Test.
Kohli was at his aggressive best in the just-concluded second Test against Sri Lanka as he smashed a strokeful 213 off 267 balls to help India amass a huge first innings total.
Photos from Day 3 of the third Test played between India and Sri Lanka in Colombo on Sunday
Skipper Angelo Mathews and opener Kaushal Silva hit half-centuries to help Sri Lanka take a 166-run first innings lead against Pakistan and push for a series-levelling victory on day two of the second Test on Friday.
India skipper Virat Kohli stoutly defended his five-bowler strategy, saying the blame lays with the batsmen who failed to deliver while chasing 176-odd runs in the first Test in Galle.
A country which produced champion players of spin bowling such as Roy Dias, Arjuna Ranatunga, Aravinda de Silva, Sanath Jayasuriya, Mahela Jayawardene and Kumar Sangakkara, it has been sharp downward slide for Dinesh Chandimal's men, who have consistently failed against Indian spin duo of Ravichandran Ashwin and Ravindra Jadeja.
