England restricted Sri Lanka to 133-9 in a rain-reduced 17-over contest
Adil Rashid (3-19) and Sam Curran (3-38) lead the bowling attack
Phil Salt top-scored with 46 during chase, as rain halted play with the visitors ahead on DLS
Sri Lanka Vs England, 1st T20I: Three Lions Beat Hosts By 11 Runs In Rain-Hit Match
Sri Lanka Vs England, 1st T20I: England made a winning start to the three-match series in Pallekele, overcoming rain delays to secure an 11-run Duckworth-Lewis-Stern victory after standout performances from Sam Curran and Adil Rashid
Summary
England beat Sri Lanka by 11 runs, using the Duckworth-Lewis-Stern (DLS) method, in the first of three T20Is between the teams in Balagolla.
Rain delayed the start of proceedings at Pallekele International Cricket Stadium by around 90 minutes and ensured the contest would be limited to 17 overs apiece.
Spectators did not get quite that amount of action in the end, though England were well on course for victory by the time the covers came on again, 15 overs into their chase of 134.
Having been put in to bat by Harry Brook, Sri Lanka struggled against the bowling of Adil Rashid (3-19) and Sam Curran (3-38) in particular, though Jofra Archer was unable to take a wicket through three overs on his return from injury.
Rashid removed each of Sri Lanka's top two scorers – Kusal Mendis (37) and Pathum Nissanka (23), as the hosts failed to capitalise on a fast start.
Having been 76-2 at the time of Nissanka's dismissal, Sri Lanka tumbled all the way to 133 not out, losing their final four wickets for a mere four runs thanks to Curran's hat-trick in the penultimate over.
England's chase started with Phil Salt thumping the first three deliveries – from Maheesh Theekshana – for 14 runs, before Jos Buttler smashed Eshan Malinga for four consecutive fours in the third over.
But Buttler fell immediately after that streak to give Sri Lanka the breakthrough, and there appeared to be some jeopardy when Jacob Bethell (nine) fell to leave the tourists 48-2.
However, Salt continued to plug away, and England were 123-4 by the time he was caught for 46 by Dunith Wellalage, with Tom Banton adding 26 runs and Brook coming in to tack on an unbeaten 16 before the weather turned.
England required nine off 12 deliveries when play was halted, with the DLS method declaring them victors by 11 runs.
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Data Debrief: Curran claims rare hat-trick
Curran's three wickets came in as many balls in the 15th over of the Sri Lanka innings, with Dasun Shanaka (20), Theekshana (0) and Matheesha Pathirana (0) his victims.
His hat-trick was just the second by an England player in a T20I, after Chris Jordan achieved the feat against the United States at the 2024 T20 World Cup.
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