Harry Brook’s explosive unbeaten 114 and Sonny Baker’s three wickets helped England defeat Sri Lanka by 119 runs in the first T20I.
England made a spectacular start to their three-match T20I series against Sri Lanka by securing a 119-run victory at Southampton. Captain Harry Brook produced a stunning unbeaten century while Jos Buttler and Sonny Baker also made major contributions as England dominated the match from start to finish.
Sri Lanka won the toss and chose to field first, but England quickly took advantage of the conditions. Debutant Aneurin Donald made an aggressive start at the top of the order, scoring 12 from just five balls before being dismissed.
Buttler then joined Brook and the pair transformed the innings. Buttler smashed 80 from 44 deliveries, while Brook produced one of the most destructive T20I innings of his career. The England captain finished unbeaten on 114 from 49 balls.
Brook reached his century from only 42 balls and finished with 10 fours and six sixes. His innings helped England reach 254 for four from their 20 overs, giving Sri Lanka an enormous target.
The visitors struggled immediately during the chase. England’s bowlers maintained pressure through the Powerplay and prevented Sri Lanka from building partnerships. Sonny Baker was particularly impressive, taking three wickets for just 12 runs in his four overs.
Sri Lanka were eventually dismissed for 135 in 19 overs, giving England a 119-run victory. Dunith Wellalage top-scored for the visitors with 33, but the required run rate remained far beyond Sri Lanka’s reach.
The victory gave England a 1-0 lead in the three-match series. The second T20I will be played in Cardiff on September 17, followed by the third match in Manchester on September 19.
Brook was named Player of the Match after his remarkable innings. The performance was particularly notable because England had only recently completed their Test series against Pakistan, leaving the white-ball squad with little time to switch formats.
England will now look to build on the momentum in Cardiff. Sri Lanka, meanwhile, will need a significantly improved batting performance if they are to level the series and force a decider.
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