Sri Lankan opener Pathum Nisanka gave him an explosive start to 67 off 45 balls, but England’s bowlers restricted him to 141 for eight.
Chasing a tough target on a dry SCG wicket, Alex Hales (47; 30 b) and skipper Jos Buttler (28; 23 b) shared a ruthless 43-ball 75.
From there, they needed 67 off 77 balls, but in no time, half the English side fell once again with cunning spinner Wanindu Hasaranga (2/23).
He dismissed the English openers for just seven runs apart, before coming on the likes of Dhananjaya de Silva (2/24) and Lahiru Kumara (2/24).
With their designated No. 3 David Malan injured (groin), England’s batting order had changed and looked shaky, needing 31 off 33 balls when Moeen Ali became Dhananjaya de Silva’s second victim.
But English Test captain Stokes, in search of form in this tournament, held his nerves and closed the chase with an unbeaten 42 off 36 balls. He joined Chris Woakes in a thrilling 15-run partnership.
After rain proved to be a disappointing Australia-England clash at the Melbourne Cricket Ground in the first Super 12, the Aussies ended their group stage campaign with seven points, and their semi-final hopes rested on Lanka’s victory over the British. Had happened.
England finished second in Group 1 behind New Zealand and will take on Group 2 toppers in the last-four.
It was an exciting start for England as Hales played the role of the attacker while Buttler took time to settle down.
Slowly, the English captain also swung into action as he smashed Hasranga for four consecutive boundaries and a six.
Earlier, Nissanka made a scintillating 33-ball fifty after his team elected to bat.
The stylish opener took the English attack to the cleaners and hit five sixes and two fours, but leg-spinner Adil Rashid (4-0-16-1) put on a stellar performance as Nissanka took his first wicket of the tournament. ,
Seamer Sam Curran (4-0-27-1) also bowled a decent run in the middle overs as Sri Lanka, who were running at over eight runs per over at the halfway point, faltered in the back-end.
The lack of power-hitters cost the Sri Lankans as the boundary dried up, and they could manage only 25 runs in the last five overs, a phase where they also lost five wickets.
England pacer Mark Wood also got off to a poor start and hit his straps at the back end and took 3 for 26 as England denied their opposition around 15-20 extra runs.
Buttler brought on his pacer Wood in the third over and Mendis dismissed him for a six over deep square leg off the very first ball. Taking cues from his opening partner, Nissenka ended the over with another maximum as 17 runs came off the over.
Rashid’s entry slowed his run-rate and wickets kept falling at the other end, but Nisanka continued his counter-attack in his ninth half-century and the second half of this World Cup. Rashid and Kuren then beat the Lankans with their smart variations.
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