A breathtaking blend of control and power from Joe Root and Harry Brook sealed a 53-run win for England over Sri Lanka in Colombo and a 2-1 series success.
Sent in to bat, England initially looked set for another low-scoring grind after slipping to 40 for 2 on a surface that had caused problems earlier in the series. Root, though, immediately brought order to the innings. Calm, precise and content to work the ball into gaps, he rebuilt alongside Jacob Bethell, the pair adding 126 runs and resetting the platform.
The innings then shifted dramatically once Brook arrived. While Root continued to accumulate with near-effortless efficiency, Brook unleashed a stunning counter-attack that transformed a competitive total into an overwhelming one. His century came from just 57 balls, a ferocious assault that included nine sixes and carried England to 357 for 3 – their highest ODI score in Sri Lanka. Root finished unbeaten on 111, Brook on a career-best 136, as their unbroken 191-run partnership left the hosts facing their biggest-ever chase.
Sri Lanka briefly threatened to turn the contest on its head. Pathum Nissanka blazed to a 24-ball fifty as the hosts smashed 104 runs in the powerplay, but his dismissal sparked a slowdown as the pitch began to grip and turn. England’s bowlers, sharing the workload effectively, steadily chipped away at the chase.
Pavan Rathnayake emerged as Sri Lanka’s last real hope, producing a composed maiden ODI century that mirrored Root’s earlier restraint. Yet with wickets tumbling at the other end and no late-overs equivalent of Brook to change the tempo, the task proved too steep. Rathnayake was bowled by Sam Curran for 121 in the 47th over, Sri Lanka all out for 304.
The victory not only ended Sri Lanka’s 12-series unbeaten run at home in 50-over cricket, but also marked England’s first away ODI series win since March 2023 – achieved in style through a masterclass in contrasting centuries.
