England made a strong start to the three-match T20I series against Sri Lanka and claimed victory in the opening game. Adil Rashid and Sam Curran proved to be the visitors' top performers with the ball while Phil Salt played a key role in taking them over the finish line. It was a match that was marred by rain and it eventually became a 17-over-a-side game due to the delay.
After being invited to bat first, Sri Lanka had a sloppy start as Jamie Overton dismissed Kamil Mishara for 16 runs in the third over. The duo of Pathum Nissanka and Kusal Mendis formed a solid 52-run partnership, getting the side into a decent position. However, Rashid got the important breakthrough for England in the eighth over and got rid of Nissanka for 23 runs.
A superb performance from England bowlers
Following this wicket, the hosts would go through a mini batting collapse. They would lose their next four scalps in the space of just 22 runs, restricting them down to 98/6 by the 12th over. It was the 31-run stand between Dasun Shanaka and Wanindu Hasaranga that got the Lankan Lions to a respectable total of 133 before they got bundled out in 16.2 overs. Both Rashid and Curran picked up three scalps each while Overton and Liam Dawson also contributed well by clinching two wickets each.
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In reply, England lost Jos Buttler early in the third over for 17 runs to Eshan Malinga. They would then lose Jacob Bethell cheaply for nine runs in the fifth over. However, the 39-run partnership between Salt and Tom Banton got England into a strong position. Matheesha Pathirana got rid of the latter for 29 runs.
Salt leads England to victory
However, Salt's knock of 46 runs would help England reach very close to the 134-run target before the match was stopped due to rain. The Three Lions were on 125/3 at that stage, just nine runs behind the target and were eventually handed the victory through DLS method as rain didn't show any signs of stopping. Rashid was adjudged as the Player of the Match for his brilliant spell of 3/19 as England took a valuable 1-0 lead in the series. It remains to be seen if Sri Lanka will be able to bounce back from this defeat in the 2nd T20I that will be held on February 1.