Man-of-the-match Perera made a rapid 49 in World Twenty20 champions Sri Lanka's 183 for seven and then captured the important wicket of England captain Eoin Morgan under the floodlights in yesterday's day/night clash.
On their way to winning this year's World Twenty20 in Bangladesh, Sri Lanka suffered a six-wicket loss to England in the group stage in March.
That match saw Alex Hales become the first England batsman to score a Twenty20 international hundred.
England saw opener Michael Carberry, making his Twenty20 international debut, Ian Bell, playing his first match at this level for three years, Joe Root and Morgan all fall cheaply as Hales looked on from the other end.
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The big-hitting Nottinghamshire opener kept going until he was clean bowled by Sri Lanka captain Lasith Malinga, hitting across the line, England were then 139 for six in the 17th over.
Malinga, widely regarded as the world's leading Twenty20 bowler, proved tough to get away in taking three for 28 with his distinctive 'slingshot' deliveries.
Sri Lanka, after losing the toss in overcast conditions, saw both openers depart with the score on 24.