Summary Alex Hales said he had confidence he'd be the first man to score a T20 hundred for England.
CHITTAGONG (AFP) - Alex Hales said he always had confidence he d be the first man to score a Twenty20 international hundred for England after leading his side to a six-wicket win over Sri Lanka.
Hales hit a brilliant 116 off just 64 balls to help England chase down a daunting 190-run target for their first win in two Group One games at the World Twenty20 in Chittagong.
Having previously missed a Twenty20 hundred -- making 99 against the West Indies in 2012 on his Trent Bridge home ground and 94 against Australia last year -- he finally fulfilled his promise on Thursday.
"I always had the confidence I would get the chance again," said 25-year-old Hales.
He smashed two sixes off paceman Nuwan Kulasekara in the 19th over -- the first helped him reach his hundred off 60 balls -- and then knocked another one in Angelo Mathews s next to seal the win.
"Hundreds don t come around very often in the short format so I am buzzing I got it today and in a huge fixture for our country. It s an amazing feeling. It still hasn t sunk in."
Hales and Eoin Morgan (57) led the fightback through their 152-run third wicket stand -- a new record in all Twenty20 internationals -- after Kulasekara jolted England with two wickets in the first over without a run on the board.
Hales heroics stunned the Sri Lankans who now have two wins in three games.
South Africa also have two wins in three and New Zealand have one in two matches.
Hales said he and Morgan knew the wicket was good for batting.
"It wasn t an ideal start but we saw by the way they (Sri Lanka) batted it was an excellent wicket and the way Morgy came in straight away and took the game back to them made my job a lot easier," said Hales.
"We had plans to stay in the game as long as we could, get a partnership and reassess at the halfway stage. It paid off."
Hales praised Morgan s contribution.
"We needed about 12 an over so we always knew it would be a tough ask but Morgy played brilliantly and then Ravi (Bopara) came in against the danger man (Lasith) Malinga and hit the first two balls for four."
Hales hoped England could carry on the momentum.
"We are underdogs in this tournament. Playing in the sub-continent historically we haven t gone too well but this win will help us build momentum for the next two games, we ve still got to play Holland and South Africa.
"I think if we perform to the best of our ability we ll get two wins."
England next play South Africa on Saturday -- a match likely to decide their fate for the semis.
