T20I: Jos Buttler, Liam Dawson guide England to 8-wicket win over Sri Lanka

New Delhi: After defeating them in the ODI series, England defeated Sri Lanka by 8 wickets in the lone T20I played at The Rose Bowl, Southampton.

Chasing a paltry total of 140 runs, Jos Buttler (73*) and Eoin Morgan (47*) stitched an unbeaten 114-run stand for the third wicket which proved to be decisive.

Earlier, on his debut, Liam Dawson rattled the Sri Lankan batting line-up with an impressive three-wicket haul.

Having decided to bat first, Sri Lanka lost their first wicket in the third over when Kusal Perera (13) was removed by Liam Plunkett.

Dawson followed it by dismissing Danushka Gunathilaka (26), Kusal Mendis (21) and skipper Angelo Mathews (11) in the next eight overs.

Sri Lanka could never recover from the poor start and posted what looked like an easy chase for the hosts.

But Mathews got Sri Lanka off to a terrific start when he bowled Jason Roy off the third ball of the innings. Mathews picked up another wicket when another James Vince was dismissed in the fifth over of the innings.

After losing two wickets, Buttler and Morgan sent the Sri Lankan fielders on a leather hunt with a brilliant match-winning stand.

Buttler was sent to open the innings and the wicketkeeper batsman grabbed the opportunity with both hands with a stupendous knock. He was adjudged the Man of the Match for his winning contribution.