England Breaks Sri Lanka's Home Streak with Record ODI Win
England defeated Sri Lanka by 53 runs in the final One Day International (ODI) match in Colombo, clinching the three-match series 2-1. This victory not only secured the series but also marked England's highest ODI score ever recorded in Sri Lanka.
The win ended Sri Lanka's remarkable 12-series, five-year unbeaten streak in home ODI series.
Match Summary
England, batting first, posted an imposing total of 357 runs for three wickets. In response, Sri Lanka was bowled out for 304 runs in 46.4 overs, unable to reach the target. The series win for England also had implications for Sri Lanka's ICC ODI ranking.
England's Batting Masterclass
England's innings was spearheaded by two unbeaten centuries, culminating in their highest ODI score in Sri Lanka.
Joe Root was a cornerstone of the innings, scoring 111 runs. This marked his 20th ODI century, which he meticulously reached from 100 balls.
Joining Root in the 32nd over, Harry Brook delivered an explosive performance, contributing 136 runs from just 66 balls. He reached his century in a blistering 57 balls, an innings that included 11 fours and 9 sixes, achieving an extraordinary strike rate of 206.06. This made him only the third England player in ODIs to score a century with a strike rate exceeding 200. Upon reaching 100 runs, Brook celebrated by mimicking WWE wrestler Steve 'Stone Cold' Austin.
The two batters forged an unbroken 191-run partnership for the fourth wicket. Earlier in the innings, Root had also been involved in a substantial 126-run partnership with Jacob Bethell.
Sri Lanka's Valiant Chase Falls Short
Sri Lanka began their chase with an aggressive intent, accumulating 104 runs within the initial ten overs. However, this period also saw them lose three crucial wickets. Opener Pathum Nissanka reached a quickfire 50 runs from 24 balls before his dismissal.
Following the powerplay, England's bowlers effectively tightened their lines and lengths, limiting Sri Lanka's scoring opportunities. The scoring rate gradually decreased as wickets continued to fall, largely due to batters attempting to maintain the escalating required run rate.
Pavan Rathnayake shone for Sri Lanka, scoring his maiden international century. He finished with 121 runs from 115 balls, including 12 fours and one six. After reaching his milestone, Rathnayake attempted to accelerate his scoring but was eventually bowled by Sam Curran in the 47th over, which brought Sri Lanka's innings to a close.
The Colombo pitch, while initially suitable for batting, was observed to exhibit increased slowness and turn as the match progressed, adding another layer of challenge for the chasing side.
Historic Victory and Global Impact
This significant victory concluded Sri Lanka's formidable 12-series unbeaten streak in the 50-over format on home soil, a streak that had impressively spanned five years.
For England, the win also eased concerns regarding their qualification for the 2027 World Cup. The defeat resulted in Sri Lanka's ICC ODI ranking dropping one position to sixth, with South Africa consequently moving up to fifth. Captains of both teams provided their comments regarding the match outcome and individual player performances post-match.