{"id":229836,"date":"2026-02-22T14:08:15","date_gmt":"2026-02-22T14:08:15","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/sports.runfyers.com\/index.php\/2026\/02\/22\/will-jacks-stars-for-england-as-sri-lanka-flail-with-bat-in-t20-world-cup\/"},"modified":"2026-02-22T14:08:15","modified_gmt":"2026-02-22T14:08:15","slug":"will-jacks-stars-for-england-as-sri-lanka-flail-with-bat-in-t20-world-cup","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/sports.runfyers.com\/index.php\/2026\/02\/22\/will-jacks-stars-for-england-as-sri-lanka-flail-with-bat-in-t20-world-cup\/","title":{"rendered":"Will Jacks stars for England as Sri Lanka flail with bat in T20 World Cup"},"content":{"rendered":"

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Over the first hour of this match the grass banks on either side of the wicket filled both in numbers and in belief. Dot balls set off boisterous celebrations, wickets provoked delirium. An increasingly joyous crowd whooped as England\u2019s batters trooped dolefully to and from the middle. Mexican waves rippled around a stadium already, and prematurely as it turned out, in full celebration.<\/p>\n

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England were restricted to just 146 for nine, an innings that revealed few demons in the pitch \u2013 for all that it had spent much of the previous few days sweating under covers \u2013 and several in their heads. Again they faltered against spin. Jos Buttler remains in dismal form. Tom Banton was run out seeking a make-believe single, victim of scrambled decision-making. Jacob Bethell, rather than giving himself a few moments to get the measure of Maheesh Theekshana, attacked the spinner\u2019s first ball of the game and sent a leading edge to short third.<\/p>\n

The crowd delighted in every misstep, and nothing about England\u2019s innings made their total look remotely defendable. They won, in the end, by 51 runs. And with two Super 8 games to play, the next against Pakistan on Tuesday, are one win from claiming a place in the semi-finals.<\/p>\n

Less than three weeks ago, in the last game of their warmup series against Sri Lanka here, England successfully defended 128. Here they had the luxury of another 18. \u201cWith those extra runs, we had faith,\u201d Harry Brook said. \u201cWe obviously knew that we were under par, but the lads never lost that faith. The main message was to go out and fight. Just make sure that we were on it from ball one. And I thought we were exceptional.\u201d<\/p>\n

Sri Lanka\u2019s openers were welcomed rapturously but then, in the third over, Pathum Nissanka \u2013 author in their previous two games of a brilliant, unbeaten century against Australia and a 41-ball 62 against Zimbabwe \u2013 lifted a Jofra Archer delivery to deep midwicket and as the side\u2019s totem fell, so too did silence.<\/p>\n

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\nQuick Guide<\/span><\/p>\n

ECB’s discrimination warning to Hundred teams<\/h4>\n

<\/svg><\/span>Show<\/span><\/span><\/summary>\n

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The ECB has sent an email to every Hundred team reminding them about their obligations regarding potential discrimination and pledging that they, the cricket regulator and if necessary the police, will investigate if they believe discriminatory policies have been put in place as the clubs assemble their squads.<\/p>\n

This week each team will be required to submit to the ECB a shortlist of 75 men\u2019s players, permed from the 710 registered for the Hundred auction, on whom they intend to concentrate their efforts when the auction takes place on 12 March. The ECB expects many names to appear on multiple lists, to the extent that the total number of players shortlisted by the eight teams \u2013 a list due to be published on Thursday \u2013 may only be between 100 and 150. There will be much interest, given rumours that the four teams under Indian ownership will avoid signing Pakistani players, in the identities of those shortlisted.<\/p>\n

But the ECB is conscious it might be very hard to prove that discrimination has been involved, particularly given that no Pakistani players were signed by Hundred teams last season, before their changes of ownership were completed, with the two bilateral white-ball series scheduled during the Hundred meaning most of their leading players were unavailable. This year they are due to play two Tests in the West Indies during the Hundred, and start a series against England three days after its conclusion.<\/p>\n

In 2024 there were four Pakistani players in the men\u2019s competition, though at the last minute the Pakistan Cricket Board revoked Naseem Shah\u2019s No Objection Certificate \u2013 mandatory for all players participating in foreign leagues \u2013 after he had been signed by Birmingham Phoenix, citing workload management. The PCB is yet to indicate whether it intends to issue NOCs for this year\u2019s tournament. Simon Burnton<\/b><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n