DAWID Malan hit 76 from 48 balls as England thrashed Sri Lanka by 89 runs in Southampton to complete a 3-0 clean sweep in the Twenty20 series.
Malan shared an opening stand of 105 with Jonny Bairstow, who made 51, in England’s 180-6.
Although England lost 5-19 late on, the target proved beyond a Sri Lanka side who were outplayed in all three games.

They were bowled out for 91 with seven balls unused as David Willey took 3-27 and Sam Curran 2-14.
Willey had Danushka Gunathilaka caught at second slip with the second ball of the innings and Sri Lanka subsided in embarrassing fashion after a chaotic start.
Chris Woakes, recalled for this series after a six-year absence, claimed 1-9 – the most economical four-over spell by an England bowler in T20s – while Sam Billings underlined a ruthless all-round display for the hosts with a brilliant direct hit run-out from deep mid-wicket.

It was England’s fourth biggest win in terms of runs in T20s, while Sri Lanka’s total was their fourth lowest.
The sides meet at Emirates Riverside on Tuesday in the first of three one-day internationals, and the evidence of the past four days suggests Sri Lanka face a mighty task against the world champions.

Malan back to his best
This was a timely return to form for 33-year-old Malan – the top-ranked T20 batsman in the world – with the T20 World Cup looming in October.
The left-hander’s credentials came under scrutiny after he made seven and four in the first two matches of this series, having passed 25 once in five matches in India earlier this year.
Promoted to open because of a hamstring injury to Jason Roy, Malan struggled for the strike early on before racing to 50 from 30 balls.

He hit four leg-side sixes and also scored around the wicket with sweeps, reverse-sweeps and lofted extra-cover drives.
Malan and Bairstow’s century opening stand – brought up in only 11.1 overs – was England’s first in T20s since 2013.

Malan eventually drove to long-off – the fourth man to fall in England’s late-innings collapse – but he has surely done enough to silence any questions over his place. (BBC Sport)