Summary

  • England chase 142 to reach semis

  • England win with two balls to spare

  • Stokes steers England home with 42*

  • Hales (47) & Buttler (28) add 75

  • England slip from 75-1 to 111-5

  • SL 141-8: Nissanka 67 (45)

  • SL manage only 61 off last 10 overs

  • Rashid 1-16 off four overs, Wood 3-26

  • T20 World Cup Group 1, Sydney

Live Reporting

Timothy Abraham, Mike Peter and Ffion Wynne

  1. Eng 106-3

    Target 142

    A lovely lofted drive from Ben Stokes down the ground brings three, as the ball just lands safely from the fielder and is dragged in just inside the ropes.

    Eight runs are milked from the over.

  2. Thankfully, Hales and Buttler adding 75 in 7.2 overs means those three quick wickets won't be worrying England too much.

  3. Andrew Moore
    BBC Test Match Special

    We have an official crowd of 24,250 here at the SCG this evening.

  4. Eng 98-3

    Target 142

    England do at least successfully negotiate Hasaranga's last over, but that's a fine spell from the spinner - 2-23 from his four overs.

    44 from 48 balls the equation for England. Straightforward, right...?

  5. Ravi Bopara
    Former England all-rounder on BBC Test Match Special

    It's just a chip straight back. Harry Brook was just pushing it ankle height back to the bowler and that's a good catch by Dhananjaya de Silva. England still have plenty of batting here, though.

  6. Andrew Moore
    BBC Test Match Special

    What a catch! Harry Brook is disappointed.

  7. wicket

    WICKET

    Brook c&b Dhananjaya 4 (Eng 93-3)

    Just knock it around, you were saying?

    Another soft dismissal, just chipped straight back to the bowler, who takes a good low catch.

    Canny bowling from Dhananjaya da Silva, though, putting absolutely no pace on the ball and forcing Harry Brook to come at him.

  8. Get Involved

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    Henry Ellison: Please just knock it around! Don’t need to be risky.

  9. Eng 92-2

    Target 142

    A welcome boundary.

    Ben Stokes thrashes one through the covers for four, just evading a fantastic diving effort on the boundary that just trickles past and into the sponge.

  10. Ravi Bopara
    Former England all-rounder on BBC Test Match Special

    The only way England can lose this from here is a dramatic collapse of wickets. You would think Ben Stokes, with his experience, will read the situation alongside Harry Brook.

  11. Eng 86-2

    Target 142

    Wanindu Hasaranga now has 2-18 from his three overs.

    Just see out his spell, England. Please.

  12. Jonathan Agnew
    BBC cricket correspondent on Test Match Special

    Ben Stokes is the man primed to take England home from here.

  13. Ravi Bopara
    Former England all-rounder on BBC Test Match Special

    We call that a chalk-ender. It's almost like a snooker cue. It sometimes drops at your feet, but for it to go back to the bowler is a little unusual. Nevertheless it's a great innings for England by Alex Hales. It's about the rest of them taking it home from here.

  14. wicket

    WICKET

    Hales c&b Hasaranga 47 (Eng 82-2)

    Ah. The softest of soft dismissals brings a fine innings to an end.

    Hales, with an eye on the short boundary, attempts a big slog sweep at the first ball of the over but is too early on the shot, the edge plopping up in the air for a simple catch back to the bowler.

  15. Ravi Bopara
    Former England all-rounder on BBC Test Match Special

    England have a very nice platform here. It's going very well for them. There's no pressure really, and they can cruise home from here provided they do nothing silly. Alex Hales is still eyeing up that short boundary.

  16. Eng 82-1

    Target 142

    Sri Lanka's spinners are pulling back some good control here. England could do with a few of these to get going again.

  17. Jos Buttler was just getting back to his absolute best before he got out, but with Hales, he did a great job of getting England off to a flyer.

  18. Jonathan Agnew
    BBC cricket correspondent on Test Match Special

    Alex Hales is ticking along nicely. He'll be itching to get on strike as much as possible. Sri Lanka need to take a few more wickets to peg England back.

  19. Eng 76-1

    Target 142

    Good over for Sri Lanka, a wicket and two from it.

    England have so much depth in their batting that they should be fine without Malan.

    I say should. This is cricket, after all.

  20. Ravi Bopara
    Former England all-rounder on BBC Test Match Special

    It feels a little too late for Sri Lanka after England's start. If they were chasing 170 it might be a bit more interesting, but you would think 142 should be relatively comfortable.