In a thrilling encounter at the Pallekele International Cricket Stadium in Kandy on Tuesday, England they closed their lid T20 World Cup preparation with a tense victory over Sri Lanka. Although the series scoreline dominated, the final match was a masterclass in spin bowling and low-scoring defense headlined by a moment of pure magic from the enigmatic Sri Lankan spinner. Mahesh Theekshana.
Maheesh Theekshana hits a no-ball to dismiss Jos Buttler in the 3rd T20I
The highlight of the first innings came in the 8th over when Theekshana produced what many called the delivery of the series. England’s star strike, If ButtlerReaching 25 off 21 balls, he was trying to steady the swinging innings. However, he was completely rocked by a ball that defied the laws of physics usually associated with Theekshana’s bowling.
Theekshana, better known for her tight lines and subtle glides, found unexpected purchase on the surface of Pallekele. The ball sat on a perfect length, caught the dusty pitch and “spinned a mile” through the huge gap between Buttler’s inside edge and back pad. The ball hit the top of the off-stump and bounced back in disbelief to the world-class batter.
After his dismissal, Theekshana performed his trademark “Archer” celebration, mimicking the release of an arrow into the sky as his teammates showered him. At this point England were reeling at 47/5 and the Kandy crowd was at its loudest, witnessing a master at work. Theekshana ended his tidy spell with figures of 1/16, proving once again why he remains one of the most difficult mystery bowlers to read in the shortest format.
We present the video:
Wicket? ✅ Holiday? 🏹
Maheesh Teekshana spins Jos Buttler and then brings the heat with this celebration 🥵 #SonySportsNetwork #SLvENG pic.twitter.com/6syY4ApsdG
— Sony Sports Network (@SonySportsNetwk) February 3, 2026
Also READ: Jacob Bethel and Will Jacks star with the ball as England seal the 3rd T20I to whitewash Sri Lanka.
England secured a 3-0 whitewash despite Dushmantha Chameera’s five-wicket haul
Despite the individual brilliance of the Sri Lankan bowlers, England’s depth and finesse eventually told the tale. Dushmantha Chameera was the pick of the hosts’ attack, breathing fire to claim a career-best 5/24. His clinical pace bowling restricted England to a modest total of 128/9, which looked well short of the halfway point. Sam Curran He was the lone hero for the visitors with the bat, taking 48 off 58 balls to lead his side to respectability.
But the chase turned out to be a nightmare for the Sri Lankans. England’s spin duo on a surface where the ball continues to spin while holding Jacob Bethell and Will Jacks turned the game upside down. Young left-arm spinner Bethell produced a sensational spell of 4/11, including three wickets in one to dismantle the tail.
Sri Lanka were only 12 runs behind, winning by 116 runs in the final over. This was an important stage for victory Harry Brooke‘s side, provided a 3-0 clean sweep in foreign soil. For England, this is the perfect confidence booster ahead of the upcoming T20 World Cup, while Sri Lanka will go back to the drawing board to sort out their batting with spin.
Also WATCH: Sam Curran takes a hat-trick against Sri Lanka in the T20I series opener
