Stuart Broad, the England captain, admitted that his side have major lessons to learn from their failure to reach the semi-finals of the World Twenty20.
A 19-run defeat by the hosts, Sri Lanka, ensured that the defending champions will not progress from the Super 8s, as they miss out to the West Indies on net run rate.
Broad said: "We're really disappointed, but the guys have tried really hard in these few weeks here. We've learned a huge amount and, as long as we can take lots away from it, that's all we can ask. We need to keep wickets in hand at the top; today proved we've got good strikers at the end who can get us close."
Top-order failings proved crucial again as Lasith Malinga took three wickets in his first over on his way to figures of five for 31 and Broad said: "Obviously, losing three in an over hurt us quite a bit; any time a bowler takes five wickets against you in Twenty20, he's going to come out on the winning side. Also [in] our death bowling, we didn't get that quite right and that's something we need to work on."
Samit Patel was the one player to come through the Malinga-induced carnage, smashing 67 from 48 balls, but he received no meaningful support until a late cameo of 34 from 20 by Graeme Swann.
Broad picked out Patel and seamer Steven Finn, who took eight wickets in the tournament, as the England bright spots. "I think Steven Finn's been fantastic for us in this tournament," he said. "Samit played really well, played the spinners well and got us into a position we could possibly have won the game from."
Kumar Sangakkara, Sri Lanka's captain for the day as regular incumbent Mahela Jayawardene had a warning hanging over him because of slow over rates, paid tribute to man-of-the-match Malinga. "He's a fantastic bowler; he relishes the pressure, both in the super over against New Zealand and then here with five wickets," he said.
Sri Lanka had earlier piled up 169 for six in their 20 overs, thanks in the main to Mahela Jayawardene (42), Angelo Mathews (28) and Thisara Perera (26). Sangakkara said: "The guys played really well; we played six batsmen with a couple of all-rounders and backed our bowlers to restrict them and get us wickets. It was a great start by the openers, and Angelo Mathews, Jeevan Mendis and Thisara Perera finished it off."
Asked about the prospect of lifting the trophy on home soil, he added: "It would be fantastic if we can, but the focus is to keep our feet on the ground and prepare well for our next game."
ICC World T20 Super 8s, Pallekele
England won toss
Sri Lanka
D P M Jayawardene c Morgan b Swann 42
T M Dilshan lbw b Finn 16
K C Sangakkara c Bairstow b Swann 13
A D Mathews b Broad 28
B M A Mendis c Bopara b Broad 18
H D R Thirimanne b Broad 13
N L T Perera not out 25
K M D Kulasekara not out 1
Extras (b4, lb2, w6) 12
Total 6 wkts (20 overs) 168
Fall 1-35, 2-74, 3-74, 4-126, 5-126, 6-161
Did not bat M K P A D Perera, S L Malinga, B A W Mendis
Bowling Finn 4-0-23-1, Dernbach 4-0-42 0, Broad 4-0-32-3, Swann 4-0-26-2, Bopara 2-0- 12-0, S R Patel 2-0-27-0
England
L J Wright c Dilshan b Malinga 12
A D Hales lbw b Malinga 3
J M Bairstow c Kulasekara b Malinga 2
S R Patel b Malinga 67
E J G Morgan lbw b M Perera 10
R S Bopara b BMAJ Mendis 1
J C Buttler c BAW Mendis b Malinga 8
S C J Broad c Jayawardene b M Perera 1
G P Swann b Kulasekara 34
S T Finn not out 1
J W Dernbach not out 2
Extras (b1, lb4, w3, nb1) 9
Total 9 wkts (20 overs) 150
Fall 1-16, 2-18, 3-18, 4-73, 5-76, 6-91, 7-93, 8-144, 9-147
Bowling Mathews 3-0-21-0, Kulasekara 4-0- 22-1, Malinga 4-0-31-5, BAW Mendis 4-0-40-0, MKPAD Perera 4-0-26-2, BMAJ Mendis 1-0-5-1
Umpires S J Davis & S J A Taufel
Sri Lanka beat England by 19 runs
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