England's Mr. Reliable: The growing influence of Will Jacks

With Sri Lanka's spinners having set a template earlier, England's choice for the second over was straightforward: Will Jacks or Liam Dawson. Captain Harry Brook backed Jacks, a decision that quickly paid off.

Jacks began with a tight over, conceding just four runs as England sought control after posting 146 for 9 on a slow surface—a total Brook felt was 15-20 runs short. After Jofra Archer removed the in-form Pathum Nissanka, Jacks took over, tilting the game.

He bowled stump-to-stump, varied his pace, and trusted the surface. England's planning showed when Pavan Rathnayake, identified as Sri Lanka's best player of spin, fell to Jacks first ball. "We knew he was probably their best player of spin… to get him out first ball was very crucial," said Brook.

The squeeze was on. Kusal Mendis chipped a return catch, Rathnayake fell immediately, and Dunith Wellalage miscued in the Powerplay. Jacks' three wickets in the phase were defining blows, leaving Sri Lanka at 34 for 5 after Archer struck twice more. The chase never recovered.

At the innings break, England's plan centered on spinners doing the heavy lifting with variation and changes of pace. "It was very slow and both sides' spinners bowled exceptionally well," Brook noted. "We didn't need to change our lines, just our paces."

Jacks embraced the responsibility. "I love getting that responsibility with the ball. It encourages me to perform better," he said after winning Player of the Match. "Bowling in the powerplay is something I've done a lot."

He finished his spell after eight overs but wasn't done impacting the game. When Dasun Shanaka threatened a revival, Jacks sprinted at deep midwicket to take a running catch, flicking the ball to Tom Banton before crossing the rope.

That moment typified Jacks' timely contributions in the tournament. Against Nepal, he scored 39* off 18 with a wicket; against Italy, he hammered a 21-ball fifty—England's fastest in men's T20 World Cups—and took a wicket; against Scotland, his 16* helped close the chase.

At Pallekele, he added a brisk 21 off 14 and a match-winning powerplay spell. Brook highlighted Jacks' competitive edge: "He's a very competitive lad. He was annoyed when he got out, and after his first over he said, 'I always bowl better when I'm annoyed.' That's why I kept him on."

Jacks now has three Player of the Match awards, one shy of Shane Watson's 2012 record. "He's had three so far, and I still don't think he's played his best cricket yet," Brook added.

For England, Jacks' consistency is encouraging in a campaign where they haven't always looked fluent, especially against spin. "We haven't quite been at our best, but importantly, we've been winning those close games," Jacks said. "We know we're good enough."

For now, England will gladly ride on Jacks' growing influence.