Buttler fires England to world No.1 with Sri Lanka whitewash

England are the new world No. 1 in men's T20 cricket after beating Sri Lanka by eight wickets at Old Trafford on 19 September. The win sealed a 3-0 series whitewash, winning every match in the series, and took England past India at the top of the rankings. The Guardian

In T20 internationals, each side bats for a maximum of 20 overs. England chased down their target with more than 10 overs to spare, which tells you how one-sided the evening was. They did it with an unchanged side, backing the same XI that had already secured the series.

The bowlers set it up with tight, disciplined work. Sonny Baker took two wickets for 17 runs in 3.5 overs, meaning he dismissed two batters at very low cost. Jamie Overton backed him up with one for 15 from his full four overs, and Will Jacks ran out Sri Lanka captain Charith Asalanka with a sharp piece of fielding.

Jos Buttler then finished the job with the bat. He reached fifty off 30 balls and ended the match in style with a one-handed six. Captain Harry Brook added a quick 33 off 21 balls before he was run out by Wanindu Hasaranga. It was Brook's 23rd win in 26 completed matches as England captain.

That record reflects a dominant few days. England had already clinched the series with a game to spare after Jos Buttler broke a T20 runs record in the second match, according to Sky Sports. The tone was set in Southampton on 15 September, when England piled up 254 for four and won the first T20I by 119 runs after bowling Sri Lanka out for 135, as recorded on the ESPNcricinfo scorecard.

What makes this stand out is the control across all three games. England batted deep, bowled with variety and fielded sharply, while Sri Lanka never found a way to slow them down.

For fans, this means England head into the next stretch of white-ball cricket as the team to beat. Off the field, it was also a notable day, with Stephen Fleming unveiled as England Test coach and facing the media for the first time.