SYDNEY: England advanced to the semifinals of the T20 World Cup and eliminated host Australia on net run-rate after their last over four-wicket win over Sri Lanka on Saturday.
New Zealand, England and Australia all finished with seven points from five matches in Group 1 but the Kiwis topped the group with a healthy net run-rate of 2.113.
Australia paid the price for a heavy loss to New Zealand in the opening game and finished with at a net run-rate of -0.173. England had a net run-rate of 0.473.
Ben Stokes kept his composure and made an unbeaten 42 off 36 balls as England reached 144-6 in 19.4 overs after Sri Lanka won the toss and elected to bat.
Sri Lanka could not have advanced even if they had beaten England but the islanders squandered a blistering start of 52-1 in five overs before ending up at a disappointing 141-8.
“We knew we had to find a way to win the game coming here today, so thankfully we did that,” England skipper Jos Buttler said.
England will face the Group 2 winner in the semifinals at Adelaide next Thursday. New Zealand will play the Group 2 runner-up at the Sydney Cricket Ground on Wednesday.
“We go there (Adelaide) looking forward to whoever we play at what is one of the best stadiums in the world,” Buttler said.
Opening batter Pathum Nissanka braved pain on his twisted ankle and made 67 before England hit back through their spinners. Adil Rashid was 1-16 and fast bowler Mark Wood picked up 3-26 after being smacked for two sixes by Nissanka in his first over.
England sank Sri Lanka in the death overs when Nissanka holed out to long on in the 16th over and then Wood claimed three wickets in his return spell, allowing the islanders to score only 25 in the last five overs.
Bhanuka Rajapaksa was one of the Sri Lanka batters to reach double figures before falling for run-a-ball 22 and offered a tame catch at mid-on in Wood’s last over.
“It was an amazing fight but still we could have done better in the batting part,” Sri Lanka captain Dasun Shanaka said as Sri Lanka bowed out of the tournament with two wins and three defeats.
“We played good cricket in patches but we started with a few injuries so it cost us a good tournament. If the injuries were not there, we could have done better.”
England had an injury scare when Dawid Malan limped off the field after sustaining groin injury during the fielding.
But England didn’t feel Malan’s absence with Alex Hales (47) and Jos Buttler (28) racking up 70 runs in the first six overs.
Sri Lankan premier spinner, Wanindu Hasaranga (2-23) ignited the collapse by removing both batters in his successive overs. Harry Brook and Liam Livingstone then fell cheaply and Moeen Ali offered a tame catch against the offspin of Dhananjaya de Silva (2-24) in the covers as England slipped to 111-5 in the 15th over.
But Stokes, promoted at No. 3 in place of injured Malan, kept cool with wickets falling around him and carried England home with two balls to spare.
The semifinalists from Group 2 will be determined on Sunday when all six teams will be in action. At Adelaide, South Africa needs a win against the Netherlands while Pakistan, whose progress depends on the results of other games, will be up against Bangladesh. India will then meet Zimbabwe at the Melbourne Cricket Ground.
England reach T20 WCup semifinals, Australia eliminated
https://arab.news/zz8rq
England reach T20 WCup semifinals, Australia eliminated
- New Zealand, England and Australia all finished with seven points from five matches in Group 1
- The Kiwis topped the group with a healthy net run-rate of 2.113
World No. 5 Elena Rybakina to headline strong field at 2026 Mubadala Abu Dhabi Open
- The 2022 Wimbledon champion joins defending champion Belinda Bencic and Spanish favorite Paula Badosa for the event from Jan. 31 to Feb. 7
- Rising stars Victoria Mboko and Alexandra Eala continue breakthrough journeys at WTA 500 platform
ABU DHABI: One of the strongest fields in its history has been unveiled for this year’s Mubadala Abu Dhabi Open.
The 2022 Wimbledon champion and world No. 5 Elena Rybakina will head an exciting line-up featuring Grand Slam winners, Olympic medalists and the sport’s most exciting rising stars when the WTA 500 tournament returns to the International Tennis Centre, Zayed Sports City, from Jan. 31 to Feb. 7.
The Kazakh powerhouse, who won the tournament in 2024, has established herself as one of the game’s elite competitors. Since her triumph at Wimbledon, she has reached the 2023 Australian Open final and secured multiple WTA 500 and 1000 titles, including the 2025 WTA Finals Riyadh where she brushed aside World No.1 Aryna Sabalenka in straight sets.
“I really enjoyed my time in Abu Dhabi last year,” said Rybakina, who was defeated in the semi-finals by Bencic. “The city’s support for tennis is amazing, and reaching the semifinals was a solid way to begin 2025. This year, I’m coming back with the goal of going all the way again. The competition will be fierce, but that’s what makes it exciting.”
Rybakina will be joined by Belinda Bencic, who returns to defend her unbeaten record at the event. The Swiss Olympic gold medalist has lifted the trophy in both 2023 and 2025 and remains the only player never to have lost a match at the tournament.
Spanish favorite Paula Badosa adds further depth to the elite contingent. A former world No. 2 and Indian Wells champion, Badosa brings explosive power and fierce competitiveness to a field that promises compelling matches throughout the week.
The tournament’s commitment to the next generation is underlined by the confirmation of two of 2025’s most compelling breakthrough stars. Canadian sensation Victoria Mboko, who rocketed from outside the world’s top 300 at the start of 2025 to inside the top 20 following titles in Montreal and Hong Kong, continues her remarkable rise on the WTA Tour.
Joining her is Filipina star Alexandra Eala, who returns to Abu Dhabi following her 2024 debut. The 20-year-old former US Open girls’ champion has continued her steady climb through the rankings and remains the highest-ranked Filipino player in tour history.
Czech duo Barbora Krejcikova, a multiple Grand Slam champion in both singles and doubles, and Marketa Vondrousova, the 2023 Wimbledon champion, bring proven track records while American rising star Emma Navarro, Denmark’s Clara Tauson and Canada’s Leylah Fernandez — the 2023 French Open finalist — add further depth to an already formidable lineup.
The field also features former French Open champion Jelena Ostapenko, who captured the 2025 doubles title in Abu Dhabi alongside Ellen Perez. Chinese star Qinwen Zheng, Ukrainian Dayana Yastremska and 2020 Australian Open winner Sofia Kenin round out a top 20 that promises world-class tennis from the opening qualifiers through to the championship weekend.
Further elite talent includes Ekaterina Alexandrova and Liudmila Samsonova, Belgium’s Elise Mertens, Brazil’s Beatriz Haddad Maia, American McCartney Kessler and Australian Maya Joint.
Nigel Gupta, MARI tournament director, said: “The 2026 Mubadala Abu Dhabi Open field represents everything this tournament has become — a compelling blend of Grand Slam champions, Olympic medalists and the sport’s most exciting emerging talent. Elena Rybakina’s arrival as our top seed adds tremendous star power, while Belinda’s pursuit of a third title and the inclusion of breakthrough stars like Victoria Mboko and Alexandra Eala demonstrate our commitment to showcasing both today’s champions and tomorrow’s legends. This is shaping up to be our strongest edition yet.”
