Buttler ton propels England to fourth win in T20 World Cup

England deat Srilanka in T20 Super 12 match on Monday. Photo Courtesy

SHARJAH, Nov 1 (AP/UNB) — Jos Buttler hit a terrific maiden Twenty20 century and propelled England to a 26-run victory over Sri Lanka in the T20 World Cup on Monday.

The fourth successive win meant unbeaten England was the firm favorite to top the group and make the semifinals next week with one last group game left against South Africa on Sunday.

Buttler’s unbeaten 101 off 67 balls powered England to 163-4 after Eoin Morgan’s top-ranked T20 team had successfully chased down small totals in its last three Super 12 games.

Sri Lanka was bowled out for 137 in 19 overs, but it had the result in the balance until the 17th over, when the last five wickets suddenly began evaporating for just eight runs.

Wanindu Hasaranga, 34 runs off 21 balls, had Sri Lanka in the hunt while the dew was making things difficult for the England bowlers. But when he fell to a superb relayed catch between Jason Roy and Sam Billings on the edge of the boundary in the 17th over, the collapse started.

Moeen Ali (2-15) and Rashid Khan (2-19) were miserly and Chris Jordan also bowled a decent four overs to finish with 2-24.

Legspinner Hasaranga (3-21) had earlier used his experience of playing two previous games on the low bouncy pitches of Sharjah Cricket Stadium to help peg back England to 47-3.

But Buttler waited patiently for the seamers to return and batted more fluently after scoring his half-century off 45 balls. Fast bowlers Dushmantha Chameera (1-43) and Lahiru Kumara (0-44) missed their lengths as Buttler completed his 100 with his sixth six off the last ball in an eventful 20th over, during which he was dropped on 95. Buttler now has international centuries in all three formats.

Sri Lanka was all but out of semifinal reckoning after losing its third game out of four.