T20 World Cup: Danni Wyatt-Hodge's ton powers England to big win over SL

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Danni Wyatt-Hodge (Image credit: T20 World Cup)

NEW DELHI: Danni Wyatt-Hodge smashed an unbeaten period arsenic hosts England began their ICC Women's T20 World Cup 2026 run successful emphatic fashion, defeating Sri Lanka by 87 runs successful the tourney opener astatine Edgbaston successful Birmingham connected Friday.Wyatt-Hodge's magnificent sound helped England station a record-breaking 219/1 - the highest squad full successful Women's T20 World Cup past - earlier their bowlers completed a ascendant all-round show by bowling Sri Lanka retired for 132.

Wyatt-Hodge, Jones acceptable the tone

After Sri Lanka skipper Chamari Athapaththu won the flip and opted to field, England's opening brace of Amy Jones and Danni Wyatt-Hodge laid the cleanable level with a commanding 135-run stand.The hosts started cautiously but accelerated brilliantly aft the Powerplay, reaching 51 without nonaccomplishment successful the archetypal six overs earlier taking implicit power of the contest.

Jones made the astir of 2 reprieves, having been dropped connected 12 and again connected 48, to people a fluent 53 disconnected 38 balls and registry her seventh T20I half-century.Sri Lanka yet broke done successful the 14th implicit erstwhile Jones mistimed Malki Madara and offered a elemental drawback to Athapaththu astatine mid-off.

Historic period lights up Edgbaston

If Jones provided the foundation, Wyatt-Hodge delivered the fireworks.

The experienced opener brought up the archetypal period of the 2026 Women's T20 World Cup and lone the seventh 100 successful the tournament's history. It was besides her maiden World Cup period and conscionable the 2nd by an English batter successful the competition.Wyatt-Hodge, whose spouse Georgie gave commencement to their archetypal kid connected May 20, played a superb innings, finishing unbeaten connected 105 from 62 deliveries.

She struck 13 fours and a six, reaching the milestone with a expanse to the boundary.The right-hander carried her bat done the innings and capped disconnected the historical effort by hitting a bound disconnected the last ball.England besides finished strongly, scoring 26 runs successful the last implicit - different tourney record.Captain Nat Sciver-Brunt added the finishing touches with an unbeaten 46 disconnected conscionable 22 balls, sharing an unbroken 84-run concern with Wyatt-Hodge for the 2nd wicket.

England bowlers decorativeness the job

Faced with a daunting people of 220, Sri Lanka ne'er managed to physique immoderate meaningful momentum successful the chase.Freya Kemp starred with the ball, returning awesome figures of 4/22 from her 4 overs. Charlotte Dean and Sophie Ecclestone chipped successful with 2 wickets each, portion Lauren Bell and Linsey Smith claimed 1 apiece.Sri Lanka struggled against England's disciplined onslaught and were yet bowled retired for 132, handing the hosts a broad 87-run victory.
Record-breaking commencement for England
England's 219/1 surpassed the erstwhile highest Women's T20 World Cup full of 213/5, which England themselves had scored against Pakistan successful 2023.The triumph besides underlined England's credentials arsenic 1 of the favourites for the rubric arsenic they kicked disconnected their location World Cup run successful ascendant fashion.England volition adjacent look Ireland connected June 16 astatine the Rose Bowl successful Southampton, portion Sri Lanka volition instrumentality connected New Zealand astatine the aforesaid venue connected the aforesaid day.