A dejected England skipper Eoin Morgan blamed his bowlers for failing to defend the 309/6 against Sri Lanka in the World Cup cricket at the Westpac Stadium here Sunday.
England posted a decent total courtesy a 121-run knock from middle order mainstay Joe Root. But English bowlers were hit hard by the Sri Lankan top order Kumar Sangakkara (117) and Lahiru Thirimanne (139).
The pair stitched a 212-run unbeaten stand for the second wicket that helped them chase down the total with nine wickets and 16 balls to spare. With this loss, England slumped to their third World Cup defeat.
Each England pacer gave away at least six runs per over.
"We certainly lost it with the ball. We had a par score on the board. Joe Root batted beautifully. I was happy at half time," said Morgan, who scored 27 runs from 47 balls.
The 28-year-old added: "Today we bowled a bad ball every over ... against a top side."
You’ve reached your limit of {{free_limit}} free articles this month.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
Already subscribed? Log in
Subscribe to read the full story →
Smart Quarterly
₹900
3 Months
₹300/Month
Smart Essential
₹2,700
1 Year
₹225/Month
Super Saver
₹3,900
2 Years
₹162/Month
Renews automatically, cancel anytime
Here’s what’s included in our digital subscription plans
Exclusive premium stories online
Over 30 premium stories daily, handpicked by our editors
Complimentary Access to The New York Times
News, Games, Cooking, Audio, Wirecutter & The Athletic
Business Standard Epaper
Digital replica of our daily newspaper — with options to read, save, and share
Curated Newsletters
Insights on markets, finance, politics, tech, and more delivered to your inbox
Market Analysis & Investment Insights
In-depth market analysis & insights with access to The Smart Investor
Archives
Repository of articles and publications dating back to 1997
Ad-free Reading
Uninterrupted reading experience with no advertisements
Seamless Access Across All Devices
Access Business Standard across devices — mobile, tablet, or PC, via web or app