England's Cricket World Cup campaign sank to a new low in Bengaluru as they were bowled out for 156 and beaten by Sri Lanka, leaving them on the brink of elimination after just five matches. The defending champions now have four defeats and only one win, and face a must-win clash against India on Sunday to keep their slim semi-final hopes alive.
Winning the toss and opting to bat on one of India's most batting-friendly pitches, England were dismissed for the lowest total recorded at this venue in one-day internationals. From a promising start of 45 without loss, they collapsed to 85 for five, with senior players surrendering meekly. Ben Stokes top-scored with 43 off 73 balls, but the rest of the batting fell apart, with Joe Root run out, Moeen Ali caught tamely, and Adil Rashid run out at the non-striker's end off a wide.
England made three changes to the side that lost heavily to South Africa, including dropping Harry Brook for Liam Livingstone, who scored just one run. For the first time in ODIs, and the first time in any format for over a century, they fielded a team with no player under 30, a decision that now looks misguided as the experienced lineup failed to handle the pressure on a must-win contest.
Sri Lanka, who came into the match with only one victory from their first four games, chased down the target with ease, reaching 157 for six. England's defeat means they remain bottom of the standings and need a remarkable turnaround to avoid the earliest exit by a defending champion in tournament history. The team's confidence appears shattered, and with India up next, further pain may be in store.
