England produced another dominant performance against Sri Lanka, securing a 6-wicket victory in the second T20I to take an unassailable 2-0 lead in the 3-match series.
The match was played at the Sophia Gardens in Cardiff on September 17, with Sri Lanka batting first after losing the toss. Sri Lanka managed to post 145/9 from their 20 overs.
England, however, made light work of the chase and reached the target in just 12.1 overs, losing four wickets in the process. The biggest talking point of the match was Jos Buttler, who made history with a quickfire 30 off 16 balls.
Jos Buttler reaches 15,000 T20 runs
Buttler’s short but impactful innings included four fours and one six. More importantly, the knock took the England wicketkeeper-batter past the 15,000-run mark in T20 cricket.
Buttler became the first batter to reach 15,000 runs in T20 cricket, achieving the milestone in his 528th match and 497th innings.
The 36-year-old has now scored 15,000 runs at an average of 35.46, including nine centuries and 107 fifties.
Buttler moves ahead of Kieron Pollard
Buttler’s milestone innings also saw him move past West Indies great Kieron Pollard on the list of T20 run-scorers.
Pollard finished with 14,999 T20 runs from 671 innings across 754 matches, with an average of 31.71. Buttler now sits at the top of the list.
Former India captain Virat Kohli, who has retired from T20 international cricket, is sixth on the list with 14,218 T20 runs.
Tom Banton completes England’s comfortable chase
While Buttler provided the early fireworks, Tom Banton played a crucial role in finishing the chase. Banton smashed an unbeaten 52 off just 24 balls, hitting two fours and four sixes.
His aggressive innings ensured England reached the target comfortably with plenty of deliveries remaining. The victory also extended England’s remarkable record against Sri Lanka in T20 internationals.
England’s 14th straight T20I win against Sri Lanka
With their 6-wicket victory, England registered their 14th consecutive T20I win over Sri Lanka. Harry Brook’s side now lead the three-match series 2-0, meaning Sri Lanka can no longer level the contest. The third and final T20I will be played in Manchester on September 19.
England will now look to complete a clean sweep, while Sri Lanka will aim to finish the series with a victory.