English cricket team in Sri Lanka in 2020–21

The England cricket team toured Sri Lanka in January 2021 to play two Test matches.[1][2] The Test series formed part of the inaugural 2019–21 ICC World Test Championship.[3][4] Originally, the tour was scheduled to take place in March 2020, but the series was postponed due to the COVID-19 pandemic.[5] In December 2020, the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) confirmed the dates for the tour,[6] with both Test matches played in Galle.[7]

English cricket team in Sri Lanka in 2020–21
 
  Sri Lanka England
Dates 14 – 26 January 2021
Captains Dinesh Chandimal Joe Root
Test series
Result England won the 2-match series 2–0
Most runs Angelo Mathews (213) Joe Root (426)
Most wickets Lasith Embuldeniya (15) Dom Bess (12)
Player of the series Joe Root (Eng)

England won the first Test match by seven wickets to take a 1–0 lead in the series.[8] England won the second Test by six wickets to win the series 2–0.[9] The win was England's fifth successive victory overseas,[10] their best away streak since touring South Africa in 1914.[11]

Background

Originally England's tour to Sri Lanka was scheduled to take place in March 2020.[12][13] However, on 13 March 2020, the two-match Test series was postponed due to the COVID-19 pandemic.[14] At the time of the announcement, England were mid-way through a four-day match against the Sri Lanka Board President's XI team, which was ended abruptly.[15] On 1 May 2020, Sri Lanka Cricket announced that the tour would be rescheduled to be played in January 2021, although the ECB did not confirm the fixtures at the time.[16]

In July 2020, the International Cricket Council (ICC) confirmed it was their priority to reschedule the matches, along with the five other World Test Championship series that had been postponed due to the pandemic.[17] In October 2020, Sri Lanka's head coach Mickey Arthur said he was "really positive" that the rescheduled tour would go ahead.[18] In November 2020, Sri Lanka Cricket's CEO Ashley de Silva announced the dates for the tour, subject to agreement by both cricket boards.[19] In December 2020, the ECB confirmed that the tour would go ahead as planned in January.[20]

In December 2020, a new strain of the COVID virus was discovered, prompting concern from Sri Lanka Cricket's medical staff regarding the tour.[21] Despite a travel ban from Britain due to the new variant, the England cricket team were given permission to fly to Sri Lanka.[22] On 3 January 2021, the England cricket team arrived at Mattala Rajapaksa International Airport.[23]

Squads
Tests
 Sri Lanka[24]  England[25]

England also named James Bracey, Mason Crane, Saqib Mahmood, Craig Overton, Matt Parkinson, Ollie Robinson and Amar Virdi as reserve players for the tour.[26] Upon arrival in Hambantota, England's Moeen Ali tested positive for COVID-19,[27] and was placed into isolation for ten days.[28] Chris Woakes was identified as a close contact to Ali, and so was forced to self-isolate for seven days.[29]

Ahead of the tour, Sri Lanka made several changes to their squad. Dhananjaya de Silva and Kasun Rajitha were ruled out of the series after being injured in the first Test at Centurion during the tour of South Africa.[30] Avishka Fernando, Ashan Priyanjan, Ramesh Mendis, Roshen Silva, Angelo Mathews, Nuwan Pradeep and Lakshan Sandakan, who were not part of the Test tour of South Africa, were initially called up as reserves for the series for Oshada Fernando, Dhananjaya de Silva, Dinesh Chandimal, Kasun Rajitha, Wanindu Hasaranga and Lahiru Kumara.[31][32] Later, Avishka Fernando and Ashan Priyanjan were left out from the squad.[33] Dinesh Chandimal captained Sri Lanka in the first Test due to Dimuth Karunaratne's injury.[34]

Prior to the second Test match, Dimuth Karunaratne, Kusal Mendis, Minod Bhanuka, Lahiru Kumara and Nuwan Pradeep were all released from the Sri Lankan squad.[35] Dinesh Chandimal was again named as captain in Karunaratne's absence.[36]

Warm-up match

Ahead of the Test series, England played a two-day intra-squad warm-up match in Hambantota.[37] Ollie Pope took part in the match as preparation for England's tour of India, despite not being named in the Test or reserve squads for the matches against Sri Lanka.[38] No play was possible on the second day of the match due to heavy rain.[39]

8–9 January 2021
Scorecard
v
184/2d (50 overs)
Joe Root 74* (117)
Mason Crane 1/37 (5 overs)
120/6 (38 overs)
Ollie Pope 58* (91)
Ollie Robinson 2/15 (4 overs)
  • Toss uncontested.
  • No play was possible on day 2 due to rain.

Test series

1st Test
14–18 January 2021
Scorecard
v
135 (46.1 overs)
Dinesh Chandimal 28 (71)
Dom Bess 5/30 (10.1 overs)
421 (117.1 overs)
Joe Root 228 (321)
Dilruwan Perera 4/109 (36.1 overs)
359 (136.5 overs)
Lahiru Thirimanne 111 (251)
Jack Leach 5/122 (41.5 overs)
76/3 (24.2 overs)
Jonny Bairstow 35* (65)
Lasith Embuldeniya 2/29 (12 overs)
England won by 7 wickets
Galle International Stadium, Galle
Umpires: Kumar Dharmasena (SL) and Ruchira Palliyaguruge (SL)
Player of the match: Joe Root (Eng)
  • Sri Lanka won the toss and elected to bat.
  • No play was possible after tea on day 2 due to rain.
  • Dan Lawrence (Eng) made his Test debut.
  • Dinesh Chandimal (SL) scored his 4,000th run in Tests.[40]
  • Angelo Mathews (SL) scored his 6,000th run in Tests.[41]
  • Joe Root (Eng) scored his 8,000th run in Tests.[42] His score of 228 was the highest score by an England batsman in Sri Lanka.[43]
  • World Test Championship points: England 60, Sri Lanka 0.

2nd Test
22–26 January 2021[n 1]
Scorecard
v
381 (139.3 overs)
Angelo Mathews 110 (238)
James Anderson 6/40 (29 overs)
344 (116.1 overs)
Joe Root 186 (309)
Lasith Embuldeniya 7/137 (42 overs)
126 (35.5 overs)
Lasith Embuldeniya 40 (42)
Dom Bess 4/49 (16 overs)
164/4 (43.3 overs)
Dom Sibley 56* (144)
Lasith Embuldeniya 3/73 (20 overs)
England won by 6 wickets
Galle International Stadium, Galle
Umpires: Kumar Dharmasena (SL) and Ruchira Palliyaguruge (SL)
Player of the match: Joe Root (Eng)

Notes
  1. While five days of play were scheduled for each Test, the second Test reached a result in four days.

References
  1. "England in Sri Lanka: Mickey Arthur 'positive' Joe Root's side will travel". BBC Sport. Retrieved 13 October 2020.
  2. "England expect South Africa tour go-ahead after quarantine agreement is reached". ESPN Cricinfo. Retrieved 19 October 2020.
  3. "Schedule for inaugural World Test Championship announced". International Cricket Council. Retrieved 11 January 2019.
  4. "Men's Future Tours Programme" (PDF). International Cricket Council. Retrieved 11 October 2019.
  5. "England tour of Sri Lanka cancelled amid COVID-19 spread". ESPN Cricinfo. 13 March 2020. Retrieved 13 March 2020.
  6. "England Men's Test tour of Sri Lanka confirmed". England and Wales Cricket Board. Retrieved 9 December 2020.
  7. "Sri Lanka v England: Two-Test tour rearranged for January". BBC Sport. Retrieved 9 December 2020.
  8. "Sri Lanka v England: Tourists win first Test by seven wickets". BBC Sport. Retrieved 18 January 2021.
  9. "England in Sri Lanka: Tourists complete six-wicket win and take series 2-0". BBC Sport. Retrieved 25 January 2021.
  10. "England secure 2-0 Test series win in Sri Lanka after second Galle success". The Cricketer. Retrieved 25 January 2021.
  11. "Sri Lanka v England second Test: Dom Sibley guides visitors to 2-0 series win". Sporting Life. Retrieved 25 January 2021.
  12. "England to tour Sri Lanka for two Tests in March". International Cricket Council. Retrieved 25 October 2019.
  13. "England to tour Sri Lanka in 2020". The Papare. 25 October 2019. Retrieved 25 October 2019.
  14. "ECB Statement: Test series in Sri Lanka postponed". England and Wales Cricket Board. Retrieved 13 March 2020.
  15. "England tour of Sri Lanka cancelled amid COVID-19 spread". ESPN Cricinfo. 13 March 2020. Retrieved 13 March 2020.
  16. "England tour rearranged for January, claims SLC chief executive". ESPN Cricinfo. Retrieved 1 May 2020.
  17. "World Test Championship progressing as planned, says ICC". International Cricket Council. Retrieved 29 July 2020.
  18. "England tour to Sri Lanka - Mickey Arthur 'really positive' fixtures will go ahead". ESPN Cricinfo. Retrieved 13 October 2020.
  19. "Dates for England tour of Sri Lanka emerge but trip yet to be confirmed". The Cricketer. Retrieved 14 November 2020.
  20. "England confirm dates for rescheduled Sri Lanka Test tour". ESPN Cricinfo. Retrieved 9 December 2020.
  21. "Sri Lanka worried about new Covid-19 strain, but England tour likely to be on schedule". ESPN Cricinfo. Retrieved 23 December 2020.
  22. "England allowed to fly to Sri Lanka for Test series despite travel ban". BBC Sport. Retrieved 23 December 2020.
  23. "England returns to Sri Lanka to resume virus-hit Tests". Times of India. Retrieved 3 January 2021.
  24. "Mathews, Chandimal boost for struggling Sri Lanka". ESPN Cricinfo. Retrieved 13 January 2021.
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  27. "England in Sri Lanka: Moeen Ali tests positive for Covid-19". BBC Sport. Retrieved 4 January 2021.
  28. "Official Statement: Moeen Ali tests positive for COVID-19". England and Wales Cricket Board. Retrieved 4 January 2021.
  29. "Moeen Ali tests positive for Covid-19 in major blow to England's Sri Lanka tour". The Guardian. 4 January 2021. Retrieved 4 January 2021.
  30. "Dhananjaya de Silva, Rajitha ruled out of England Test series". Daily FT. Retrieved 9 January 2021.
  31. "Avishka, Ramesh get call for England Test series". The Sunday Times (Sri Lanka). Retrieved 9 January 2021.
  32. Nawaz, Althaf. "SLC to call up six new players for England Series". Daily News. Retrieved 9 January 2021.
  33. "Five nominated players included in 22-member squad for Test series". Daily FT. Retrieved 9 January 2021.
  34. "Sri Lanka captain Dimuth Karunaratne ruled out of first Test against England with broken thumb". The cricketer. Retrieved 14 January 2021.
  35. "Kusal Mendis dropped by Sri Lanka, Dimuth Karunaratne ruled out with injury". ESPN Cricinfo. Retrieved 19 January 2021.
  36. "Karunaratne, Kusal Mendis among five players released from SL bio-bubble". CricBuzz. Retrieved 19 January 2021.
  37. "Team Buttler to face Team Root as England step up Sri Lanka preparations with warm-up match". The Standard. Retrieved 8 January 2021.
  38. "England in Sri Lanka: Joe Root & Dan Lawrence find form in warm-up". BBC Sport. Retrieved 8 January 2021.
  39. "England in Sri Lanka: Warm-up match abandoned because of heavy rain". BBC Sport. Retrieved 9 January 2021.
  40. "Chandimal, Mathews rebuild after early wobble". CricBuzz. Retrieved 14 January 2020.
  41. "Angelo Mathews passes 6000 runs in Test Cricket". News Radio. Retrieved 14 January 2021.
  42. "Joe Root joins elite club, reaches 8000 Test runs in England vs Sri Lanka Galle Test". Daily News & Analysis. Retrieved 16 January 2021.
  43. "Sri Lanka v England: Joe Root makes 168 not out as tourists build big lead". BBC Sport. Retrieved 17 January 2021.
  44. "England's James Anderson picks up 30th five-wicket haul against Sri Lanka". Gulf News. Retrieved 23 January 2021.
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