Pallekele [Sri Lanka], February 22 (ANI): England spin veteran Adil Rashid overtook Sri Lankan legend Lasith Malinga to become the joint fifth-highest wicket-taker in the history of the ICC T20 World Cup history.

The 38-year-old spinner continues to climb up the charts 17 years deep into international cricket, delivering a fine spell of 2/13 in 3.4 overs against Sri Lanka in a massive win over the co-hosts at Pallekele.

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Now with this, in 35 T20 WC matches since his debut in 2009, Rashid has taken 39 wickets at an average of 22.66, with best figures of 4/2. He has two four-fers in his T20 WC career. Malinga had 38 wickets in 31 matches from 2007-2014 at an average of 20.07, with a five-wicket haul to his name.

In the ongoing tournament, he has eight wickets in five matches at an average of 18.75, with best figures of 3/36.

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The veteran has also levelled with Bangladesh pacer Mustafizur Rahman to become the joint-fourth-highest wicket-taker in T20Is, with 158 wickets in 126 matches at an average of 20.96, with best figures of 6/10. He has three four-wicket hauls and two five-fors in T20I cricket.

Meanwhile, the top three-wicket takers in T20I cricket are: Afghanistan spinner Rashid Khan (193 wickets in 115 matches), New Zealand's Tim Southee (164 in 126 matches) and Ish Sodhi (162 wickets in 138 matches).

Coming to this match against Sri Lanka, SL won the toss and opted to bowl first, and their bowlers ripped out the heart of England's batting by removing Buttler (7), Jacob Bethell (3), Tom Banton (6), Harry Brook (14) and Sam Curran (11), reducing them to 94/5 in 13.2 overs. It was Salt's valiant 62 in 40 balls, with six fours and two sixes and a quick cameo of 21 in 14 balls, with four boundaries from Will Jacks, that pushed England towards 146/9 in 20 overs.

Dunith Wellalage (3/26 in four overs) and Maheesh Theekshana (2/21 in four overs) managed to tame England against spin, a key weakness of theirs, while Dilshan Madushanka (2/25 in four overs) and Dushmantha Chameera (1/34 in four overs) also got wickets.

SL did not look like a threat during the chase, with Jacks (3/22), Liam Dawson (2/27 in four overs), Jofra Archer (2/20 in three overs), and Adil Rashid (2/13 in 3.4 overs) quickly getting the wickets to skittle out SL for just 95 runs in 16.4 overs. (ANI)

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