Bizarre! Sri Lanka batter hits his own stumps in SL vs ENG T20 World Cup Super 8 clash - Watch

Pallekele International Cricket Stadium witnessed one of the most unusual dismissals in recent T20 World Cup history on Sunday when Sri Lanka’s Dushan Hemantha contrived to hit his own stumps during the Super 8 encounter against England. Chasing 147, Hemantha had just begun to settle against Jamie Overton when an attempted attacking stroke saw the batter lose grip of his blade; the follow-through carried the bat back onto the stumps, dislodging the bails and ending his innings in almost slapstick fashion. The moment was captured from every angle by broadcast cameras and instantly ricocheted across social platforms, with fans and former players alike expressing disbelief at the rarity of a self-inflicted hit-wicket in a global tournament.

The freakish dismissal encapsulated a stuttering Sri Lankan reply after their bowlers had earlier squeezed England for 146 for nine. Left-arm spinner Dunith Wellalage headlined the disciplined effort, returning 3 for 26 to account for key scalps including Jos Buttler and Harry Brook. Maheesh Theekshana and Dilshan Madushanka maintained the stranglehold, ensuring England mustered only 37 for two by the end of the powerplay. Phil Salt’s enterprising 62 off 40 balls—featuring a flurry of boundaries and maximums—briefly threatened acceleration, yet once he departed the innings lost momentum and the final total was deemed below par on a good batting surface.

Nevertheless, Hemantha’s mis-timed stroke and the ensuing clatter of timber underlined the pressures of the chase and left the partisan home crowd in stunned silence. With the required run-rate still manageable, Sri Lanka will need a swift regrouping if they are to keep their Super 8 aspirations intact after such an extraordinary setback.