England continued their good run against Sri Lanka by winning the second T20I at Sophia Gardens in Cardiff by 6 wickets on 17 September 2026. England took a perfect 2-0 lead in the three-match series. England had also won the first T20I by 119 runs.
Sri Lanka started their innings well but could not keep the momentum going. England's bowlers kept taking wickets and stopped Sri Lanka from reaching a big total. England then chased down the target with plenty of time to spare.
Sri Lanka Start Well but Lose Their Way
Sri Lanka were asked to bat first and got off to a good start. Opener ‘Pathum Nissanka’ played some attacking shots and helped Sri Lanka reach 56 without losing a wicket.
But England soon found a way back into the game. Once the opening partnership was broken, Sri Lanka began losing wickets regularly. The middle order could not form a strong partnership and the scoring rate also slowed down.
Nissanka made 37 runs from 21 balls, but the other batters were unable to make a big impact. Sri Lanka finished their 20 overs at 145/9 and England had 146 to target.
Liam Dawson Leads England's Bowling
England's bowlers once again were at their best. Liam Dawson was the star with the ball, taking 3 wickets for 32 runs in four overs. His spell earned him the Player of the Match award.
Jofra Archer also played a crucial role and took two wickets on his 50th T20 international appearance. England's bowlers kept the pressure on Sri Lanka throughout the innings.
Sri Lanka’s early start looked promising, but England’s bowling attack made sure they could not turn it into a big score.
Two wickets in two balls 🤯
— England Cricket (@englandcricket) September 17, 2026
Liam Dawson strikes again 👏 pic.twitter.com/jFisSfNvWw
England Chase 146 With Ease
England started their chase in an aggressive manner. The hosts reached 48 without losing a wicket after four overs.
Then England lost Aneurin Donald and Jos Buttler in a hurry. Captain Harry Brook tried to keep the chase going and scored three sixes in one over before being dismissed for 23.
Sri Lanka could not take advantage of the wickets. Tom Banton took control of the chase and produced a quick unbeaten 52 from 24 balls.
His attacking batting helped England reach 146/4 in just 12.1 overs with 47 balls still left.
Buttler Reaches 15,000 T20 Runs
Jos Buttler had achieved an important career milestone despite being dismissed for 30. He became the first player to score 15,000 runs in T20 cricket.
This was one more memorable moment for an already impressive career.
What's Next?
England now have an unassailable 2-0 lead in the series. The third and final T20I will be played on September 19, 2026 at Old Trafford in Manchester.
Sri Lanka will hope to finish the series with a win, while England will attempt to complete a 3-0 series sweep. England will go into the final match confident after two strong performances and Sri Lanka will need to improve their batting and bowling to challenge the hosts.
