Birmingham: Stuart Broad will fly to Sri Lanka for England’s defence of their World Twenty20 title buoyed by a season-ending win over South Africa.
Victory by 28 runs in a rain-affected floodlit fixture at Edgbaston on Wednesday saw England enjoy their few hours’ sleep before getting on the plane after they levelled the three-match Twenty20 series at 1-1, with one no result.
England’s score of 118 for five was built upon opener Craig Kieswetter’s 50 off 32 balls and an especially rapid 32 not out in 10 by Jos Buttler.
South Africa, who went into the match as the world’s top-ranked Twenty20 side, were never up with the rate in reply and finished on 90 for five in a match reduced by rain to 11 overs per side.
Broad was delighted to sign off the home season with a victory.
“To get on that flight with a win under our belt is brilliant,” said Broad.
“We have some talent in this changing room. It’s important we believe we can do good things and we’ve got that belief now,” added Broad, whose squad will be without Kevin Pietersen, who was Man-of-the-Series when they won the 2010 World Twenty20 in the Caribbean, as the star batsman’s England exile continues. (AFP)
