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Match Report:

Scorecard

England cruise to series win despite Cardiff rain

Hosts take a 2-0 lead in the three-game series after easily defeating Sri Lanka in a rain-interrupted clash

England have claimed a second successive T20 victory over Sri Lanka, winning their rain-interrupted international by five wickets in Cardiff. 

The hosts restricted the visitors to 7-111 before making 5-108 in 16.1 overs to win the contest under the Duckworth-Lewis-Stern method.

A day earlier, Sri Lanka managed 7-129 with England winning at ease with Jos Buttler - absent on Thursday with a calf strain - scoring an unbeaten 68.

They had to work harder in their chase 24 hours later as early wickets slowed them down, but the victory was never seriously in doubt even before the rain came.

Sri Lanka opted to bat first again but struggled to get any sort of momentum as their first boundary did not arrive until the eighth over.

Kusal Mendis top-scored with 39 off 39 balls while paceman Mark Wood took 2-18 in his four overs to be the pick of a consistently accurate attack.

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England in reply were 2-8 in the third over before losing captain Eoin Morgan and Jason Roy to be 4-36 in the seventh, and with light rain falling Sri Lanka had a glimpse of victory.

But England bat deep and Liam Livingstone and Sam Billings steadied the ship with low-risk shot selection and excellent running.

That partnership took England to 4-69 after 12 overs, before a rain break reduced their target to 103. Billings went for 24 but Livingstone ended unbeaten on 29 alongside Sam Curran, who hit the final ball for six to reach 16 not out.

The teams meet again in the third and final T20 at Southampton on Saturday.

Player of the match Livingstone told Sky Sports: "When I went in, me and Sam said let's hit it hard. It was nice to bat with someone like Sam, I have done before, and get a partnership going.

"I'm still learning, but ultimately batting at six your job is to get the team home.

"I don't see it as having to take my chance. I love coming into this environment, it is one that suits me really well. I like playing with freedom and Morgs (Morgan) gives us the freedom to do that. I don't see it as pressure, I don't see it that way."