Images: Sri Lanka vs England, 1st semi-final, World T20

Sri Lanka were restricted to a modest 128 for 6 after England bowlers bowled their hearts out in the first semi-final of the ICC World Twenty20 in Gros Islet, St Lucia on Thursday.

The Englishmen bowled with purpose and produced a clinical performance.

They wreaked havoc in the Lankan batting right from the onset. Ryan Sidebottom started the rout and made early inroads by having Sanath Jayasuriya (1 off 4) caught out by Collingwood at second slip.

The English bowlers kept the ball in the right areas and gave no width to the Lankan batsman.

After a promising start and hitting a couple of lusty blows, Tillakaratne Dilshan (9) played an ambitious shot only to be caught in the deep by Luke Wright off Tim Bresnan.

Stuart Broad, England's most successful bowler on the day (2 for 21), took the next wicket as he forced Mahela Jayawardene play a delivery that went straight to the hands of Craig Kieswetter behind the wickets.

After five overs, the Lankans were in a soup, the score reading 26 for 3.

But the Lankans found a saviour in all-rounder Angelo Mathews (58), who stood out with a fighting half century.

Mathew, who hit three fours and six in his 45-ball innings, stitched up two fruitful partnerships -- 46 off 45 balls with Kapugedera for the fifth wicket and 33 off 20 balls with Thissara Perera for the sixth -- to steer the Lankans to a decent total.

Earlier, Sangakkara and Mathews tried to repair the innings before the former was out in the ninth over for a 19-ball 16.

Captain Sangakkara (16) and Kapugedera (16) were the second-highest scorers for the Lankans.

Chasing 129 for victory, England overhauled the target with four overs to spare.

Openers Craig Kieswetter (39 off 29) and Michael Lumb (33 off 26) gave England a great start. They took their time before launching into the Lankan attack.

Kieswetter hit two fours off off-spinner Suraj Randiv in the third over and another boundary and six off Mendis in the next, as England took 25 runs from the two overs to reach 38 for no loss at the end of five overs.

Sangakkara persisted with his slow bowlers, but Kieswetter thrashed Sanath Jayasuriya for two sixes in the eighth over which forced fast bowler Lasith Malinga into the attack.

Malinga's introduction did the trick for Lanka as he bowled Kieswetter off his first ball with an inswinging yorker.

Kevin Pietersen, who top-scored for England with a blistering 26-ball unbeaten 42, played his role to perfection.

Coming in at No 3 he played to the merit of the bowling. When the opportunity arose he slammed the bowlers to the fences. He is the man in form in this tournament and he brought it into the semi-finals as well. His innings was flawless and included 3 fours and 2 sixes.

Piertersen did well to stitch a partnership with Lumb, who was bowled by Thissara Perera for 33.

England were 83 for two at the halfway mark, needing just 46 from the next 10 overs.

Captain Paul Collingwood continued his poor form in the tournament, falling for 10 in the 15th over, but Pietersen and Eoin Morgan (2 not out) ensured that there would not be any more hiccups as England cantered home with 24 balls to spare.

Pietersen, who joined the team after being by the side of his wife for the birth of their first child in London, carried his bat through the innings.

Thissara Perera (2 for 19) was the most successful bowler for Sri Lanka, as England won by seven wickets.