Summary

  • Use audio icon at top of the page to listen to BBC Radio 5 Sports Extra commentary

  • Defending champions England on verge of early exit after fourth defeat in five games

  • Sri Lanka win second game to stay in play-off contention

  • They chase 157 target in 25.4 overs and win by eight wickets in Bengaluru

  • England all out for 156 in 33.2 overs

  • Stokes top scores with 43 - only five batters make double figures

  • Kumara 3-35, Mathews 2-14 & Rajitha 2-36

  1. Postpublished at 10:38 British Summer Time 26 October 2023

    Jonathan Agnew
    BBC cricket correspondent on Test Match Special

    Kasun Rajitha of Sri Lanka celebrates the wicket of Jonny Bairstow of England during the ICC Men's Cricket World Cup India 2023 between England and Sri Lanka at M. Chinnaswamy StadiumImage source, Getty Images

    Just as we were saying to keep your head down and bide your time, Bairstow's flogged it. Poor shot, I'm sorry. It wasn't the occasion. He's walking off with a face like thunder.

  2. wicket

    WICKETpublished at 13.1 overs

    Bairstow c Dhanajaya b Rajitha 30 (Eng 68-3)

    My goodness. If I didn't have to write something about this, I'd say there are no words to describe the poor nature of this dismissal.

    Just when England need to dog it out, Jonny Bairstow plays a terrible shot. Trying to shovel the ball through the leg side, it turns into an ugly hack to mid-on.

    Poor. Really poor.

  3. Postpublished at 10:35 British Summer Time 26 October 2023

    Russel Arnold
    Former Sri Lanka all-rounder on BBC Test Match Special

    The game's changed quite a bit. With the new ball it was flying to all parts, the batters were hitting on the up. It was flying to all parts. But then "dangling the carrot" type balls from Matthews and all of a sudden the batters are struggling with their timing. I wonder if the ball has softened.

  4. Eng 68-2published at 13 overs

    As we approach Halloween, this is a bit like watching a scary film. You know there are heart-stopping moments around the corner, you just don't know when they will come. Stokes pushes an uppish drive into the covers, just short of a diving fielder, then he plays and misses with a big drive at Mathews. Last week Mathews wasn't playing in this World Cup. He barely bowls these days. All of a sudden he's turned into Jimmy Anderson.

  5. How's stat?!published at 10:32 British Summer Time 26 October 2023

    Phil Long
    BBC Test Match Special statistician

    In the first 34 balls of this innings we had nine fours, and in the next 34 we had none at all.

  6. Eng 66-2published at 12 overs

    At least we've avoided mother-in-law jokes. For now. I've lost count of the amount of replays and angles I've seen of that Root run out. It doesn't get any better. Rajitha comes back to bowl his pace and Bairstow is lucky that an under-edged pull hits his thigh rather than the stumps.

  7. get involved

    Get Involvedpublished at 10:28 British Summer Time 26 October 2023

    #bbccricket, via WhatsApp on 03301231826 or text 81111 (standard network charges apply)

    We got married in 2010 on a beach in Perth during the ashes. Had a home do in 2011. Here is Freddy being our seating planner and the table centres made by my wife (Alexandra). We had a table named cow corner and yes we put my stepmother on it.

    Matt, Salford.

    Wedding table settingsImage source, Matt
  8. Eng 62-2published at 11 overs

    He'll probably take a five-fer.

  9. How's stat?!published at 10:26 British Summer Time 26 October 2023

    Phil Long
    BBC Test Match Special statistician

    It's the first time Angelo Matthews has bowled in an ODI for Sri Lanka since March 2020.

  10. Not outpublished at 10.4 overs

    Eng 60-2

    Calm down, it's an awful review. Pitched miles outside leg stump.

  11. Sri Lanka reviewpublished at 10.4 overs

    Eng 60-2

    I'm not sure I can deal with watching this. Mathews to Stokes. Sri Lanka like it...

  12. Postpublished at 10:24 British Summer Time 26 October 2023

    Matthew Henry
    BBC Sport in Bengaluru

    There’s a big bird of prey circling above the stadium. There’s probably a metaphor about England’s World Cup hopes in there.

  13. Eng 60-2published at 10.3 overs

    I'm looking at lots of replays of that run out and might be softening to Root's culpability. Mathews was very deep, but it did bounce nicely for him.

  14. get involved

    Get Involvedpublished at 10:22 British Summer Time 26 October 2023

    #bbccricket, via WhatsApp on 03301231826 or text 81111 (standard network charges apply)

    Joe Root is run outImage source, Getty Images

    Just when you thought things couldn't get any worse....

    David

  15. Eng 59-2published at 10 overs

    Angelo Mathews was the fielder. Him again. In fairness to Root, though the run wasn't on, Bairstow has done him slightly by starting to walk towards him. They almost met in the middle. Ben Stokes is the new man. If you're going to try to walk on water, make sure you wear your comfortable shoes.

  16. Postpublished at 10:20 British Summer Time 26 October 2023

    Paul Farbrace
    Former England assistant coach on BBC Test Match Special

    Sri Lanka celebrate after Joe Root is run outImage source, Getty Images

    That's a poor run. When you're a bit nervy, a bit jittery, running between the wickets becomes a bit difficult. Jonny Bairstow had no interest in that run.

  17. wicket

    WICKETpublished at 9.4 overs

    Root run out (Mathews) 3 (Eng 57-2)

    This is a shocker. An absolute calamity.

    Joe Root cuts and wants a single that is never, ever on. Jonny Bairstow sends him back, but Root turns slower than milk and even a dive can't save him.

    Awful cricket. What a waste.

  18. Postpublished at 10:17 British Summer Time 26 October 2023

    Paul Farbrace
    Former England assistant coach on BBC Test Match Special

    England won't be talking about a target, they'll be thinking more about a mindset and an approach. Once Bairstow and Malan got a couple of boundaries they visibly relaxed. England will be happy with this, about 60-1 after 10 overs.

  19. Postpublished at 10:16 British Summer Time 26 October 2023

    Prakash Wakankar
    BBC Test Match Special commentator

    I'm not sure that was necessary, but Root is very keen on getting Bairstow the strike in the powerplay.

  20. dropped catch

    Close!published at 9 overs

    Eng 55-1

    That's close! Joe Root and Jonny Bairstow know each other so well and are both pretty quick. Bairstow, though, might not quite be the same man after that broken leg last year. Root wants one, Bairstow goes, and would have been just out had the throw from short cover hit.