Summary

  • Sri Lanka win series against England for first time

  • Athapaththu (44) top-scores in composed run-chase

  • England lose regular wickets to Sri Lanka's spinners

  • Hosts' innings littered with poor shots and a calamitous run-out

  • Wyatt falls to first ball of innings, Capsey run-out

  • Three-match ODI series follows - first game in Durham on Saturday

  1. Postpublished at 21:18 British Summer Time 6 September 2023

    That's it from us for tonight after a remarkable and historic win for Sri Lanka.

    They beat England for the first time in any bilateral series and claim their first series win outside of Asia since 2003!

    You can read Ffion Wynne's report on tonight's game here.

    England will hope to respond in the ODI series that starts on Saturday.

    We'll be back for that one. Before that, join us for England men's opening ODI against New Zealand on Friday.

  2. 'A really valuable lesson'published at 21:14 British Summer Time 6 September 2023

    England head coach Jon Lewis on BBC Two: "We came into the series looking at it as a real opportunity to develop our young players and put them under pressure.

    "Taking out some of our senior players comes with an element of risk and when you put the players in those situations, you want to see how they respond.

    "What we’ve got now is an opportunity to go away, think about how we play and learn from what we’ve done.

    "We could have put our more experienced players or more of our experienced players in those situations, but we won’t learn about what’s going on underneath our team.

    "I think it’s a really valuable lesson for us."

  3. Postpublished at 21:12 British Summer Time 6 September 2023

    Alex Hartley
    Former England bowler on BBC Two

    England will be disappointed. They have to be.

    I don’t want to say it’s embarrassing, but they go into this series as very heavy favourites.

    We all said it would take something very special for Sri Lanka to come here and win one game, so to come out and win a series is testament to how they have stayed positive after the first defeat and put England under so much pressure.

    Was there a bit of complacency from England? I’m not sure. They did rest their big guns, but they have got a lot of lessons to learn.

  4. Postpublished at 21:10 British Summer Time 6 September 2023

    Russel Arnold
    Former Sri Lanka all-rounder on BBC Two

    I am really pleased, and so impressed with the team because it is not easy coming here to play. It is the first tour for a lot of them here.

    Yes, England have rested some players but this is still a quality side and highly-skilled players in that line-up.

    The fightback after losing the first T20 is particularly impressive.

    They will be so happy, and so proud, particularly because there were performances from players other than Chamari Athapaththu.

    They are getting so much better as a team, and having those contributions from others is allowing Athapaththu to play with so much more freedom.

  5. How's stat?!published at 21:08 British Summer Time 6 September 2023

    Andy Zaltzman
    Cricket statistician on BBC Two

    Chamari Athapaththu has been fantastic in the last two games, scoring 55 off 31 and 44 off 28 - that's 99 runs from 59 balls and she took four wickets for 32 in seven overs.

    A fantastic all-round performance.

  6. Postpublished at 21:05 British Summer Time 6 September 2023

    The Sri Lanka players have got their hands on the series trophy now and the celebrations have begun.

    Here is the moment they clinched that historic series win...

  7. 'We only talk about positive things'published at 21:02 British Summer Time 6 September 2023

    Sri Lanka captain Chamari Athapaththu: "I'm really happy about my performance and the team's performance.

    "The last couple of months, I've worked hard in the nets and in the last two series in India and Bangladesh, we've performed well so we wanted to continue that in this series as well.

    "Finally, we've won, that's really good for us so I hope we can continue this form in the ODIs as well.

    "The bowling have done a really good job today and in the whole tournament.

    "We always talk about positive things in our dressing room, never negatives and we executed our plans - that's why we won.

    "I think we can be a good team in the future."

  8. 'We've been punished by Sri Lanka'published at 20:57 British Summer Time 6 September 2023

    England captain Heather Knight: "They came out with a clear plan to bowl a lot of spin.

    "I think it's identified a few areas where we need to be better. We learn from them and improve.

    "We played a young-ish team but that's no excuse. We felt like we had enough on the park to be successful but we've been a little bit off, it's fair to admit that.

    "We haven't quite been at our best and we've been punished by Sri Lanka.

    "A few batters, including myself, got starts today and didn't go on. It's having that mentality to go on and go big. In a T20 that can win you the game.

    "We can certainly get better playing spin, we have to adapt and get better at that.

    "Resting players gives us the chance to give others opportunities and sometimes we want to do that in series rather than World Cups. It's a risk we took."

  9. Postpublished at 20:53 British Summer Time 6 September 2023

    Alison Mitchell
    Cricket commentator on BBC Two

    Chamari Athapaththu has been a talismanic figure for Sri Lanka but now she has other players around her to support her.

    I have been told that her Whatsapp status is 'If somebody says it can't be done, be the first person to do it'. She's done that tonight!

  10. Postpublished at 20:50 British Summer Time 6 September 2023

    Georgia Elwiss
    England all-rounder on BBC Test Match Special

    It's a sad night for England, they will be really disappointed.

  11. Postpublished at 20:47 British Summer Time 6 September 2023

    Not only were England beaten. They were completely outplayed.

    Sri Lanka skittled them cheaply and knocked off the runs with three overs to spare.

    They win the T20 series 2-1. It's their first ever series win over England.

    It's the first home T20 series that England have lost to anyone but Australia since 2010.

  12. Postpublished at 20:45 British Summer Time 6 September 2023

    Alison Mitchell
    Cricket commentator on BBC Two

    That is one of the poorest nights Heather Knight and her team have had in England shirts.

  13. champagne moment

    Sri Lanka win by seven wicketspublished at 20:43 British Summer Time 6 September 2023

    SL 117-3

    That does it! Harshitha Samarawickrama whips the ball away for four to complete a famous series win for Sri Lanka.

    A humbling defeat for England.

  14. Postpublished at 20:43 British Summer Time 6 September 2023

    Steven Finn
    Former England bowler on BBC Two

    I'd have that little person on my shoulder saying to hit it for six and be the hero.

  15. SL 113-3published at 16.4 overs

    Need 4 from 20 balls

    Ridiculous single taken by Sri Lanka. It was simply never on but Maia Bouchier's throw is off target and somehow both batters get home.

    Four more needed...

  16. Postpublished at 20:40 British Summer Time 6 September 2023

    Steven Finn
    Former England bowler on BBC Two

    England should have had enough to beat Sri Lanka but what they have missed is that experienced head in the middle order to calm things down when the pressure is on.

  17. Postpublished at 20:40 British Summer Time 6 September 2023

    Alison Mitchell
    Cricket commentator on BBC Two

    There will be some questions asked after this match, including were England right to rest key players.

  18. SL 112-3published at 16 overs

    Need 5 from 24 balls

    Slightly risky shot from Harshitha Samarawickrama, driving on the up to Mahika Gaur.

    But she gets enough on it to take the ball over the in-field for two.

    A lovely leg-side flick brings two more from the last. Sri Lanka are five runs from victory.

  19. Postpublished at 20:37 British Summer Time 6 September 2023

    Alison Mitchell
    Cricket commentator on BBC Two

    Is this Heather Knight's last roll of the dice?

  20. Postpublished at 20:37 British Summer Time 6 September 2023

    Here comes Mahika Gaur...