World champions Sri Lanka held off an England fightback to win by nine runs in a Twenty20 international at the Oval on Tuesday helped by an explosive innings from Thisara Perera and superb bowling from Lasith Malinga.
Perera’s quick-fire 49 runs from 20 balls, having survived a dropped catch by Michael Carberry, enabled the tourists to post a total of 183-7 from their 20 overs while Malinga’s figures of 3-28 kept England at bay in response.
“The last couple of years I’ve been used to bowling in pressure situations, I’m used to it and I work hard in those situations,” Sri Lanka captain Malinga told Sky Sports.
“I really enjoy it, it doesn’t matter, I used to say to captains to give me the ball.”
