SL vs ENG 1st ODI Live Score - Colombo (22 January 2026)

Serves it full, outside off, Root drives inside out to deep cover and strolls for a single. 

Short and wide outside off, Duckett throws his hands at it off the back foot and pierces the gap between deep point and deep cover. Janith Liyanage, from deep point, dives full length to his left and does well to stop it, parrying the ball towards the converging sweeper. The return comes in to the striker’s end and hits the stumps, but the batters had already completed the second run. The deflection then runs away wide of square leg, allowing them to pinch a third.

Tight leave! On a length, outside off, Root makes a watchful leave.

An appeal for LBW, but not entertained by the umpire. Another googly on a good length, but drifting down the leg side. Root stays back to work it in front of square on the leg side and ends up wearing it on the front pad.

Full on middle, clipped to the leg side for a single.

Around the legs, clipped to mid-wicket with soft hands.

Around off, tossed fuller, Root drives it to mid off.

Shade short, on middle, Root hangs back and nudges it to short mid-wicket. 

Lands it full, around off, Root lunges with a huge stride and eases it to short cover. 

Full, on middle and leg, Joe Root flicks it down to long on for a single. This partnership is now worth 91 runs.

Hangs it up there, full and on the stumps. Ben defends it out to extra cover.

Drags the length back, short, outside off, Duckett slaps it with a cross bat but finds the fielder at cover-point. 

Draws his front foot ahead and drives the full ball to cover. 

Leg break, short, on middle, Root hangs back and cuts it to deep point for a single. 

FOUR! Don't bowl him there! Flights a googly, full and on middle and leg. Duckett reads the wrong'un and sweeps it over square leg for a boundary. A four for England after 50 balls. 

Short, on middle, Duckett rocks back and pulls it to deep mid-wicket for a single. 

FIFTY FOR JOE ROOT! Off 66 balls. This is his 44th ODI half century. A brilliantly constructed knock so far. Full, on leg, flicked off the pads wide of long on for a single. England would want their premier batter to stay till the end and get the job done. Raises his bat calmly, does Root. Acknowledges the applaus from the England faithful present at Khettarama. 

FIFTY FOR BEN DUCKETT AS WELL! His 9th in ODIs. He gets there by slapping the short ball to the cover region for a single. This will do the world of good for his confidence. Looked a bit scratchy in the beginning, but has got himself settled very well at the crease. 

Around middle and leg, Duckett clips the full ball through mid-wicket for a single. The 100-run partnership comes up between the two!

Full and down leg, swept to deep backward square leg for a single. 

Into the blockhole, around off, carved away to short cover.

Outside off, tossed up on a fuller length, driven hard off the front foot to cover.

SIX! HIGH AND HANDSOME! Targets the part-timer with conviction. Duckett shimmies down the track and hoists the full ball downtown for a massive six.

Short, outside off, Ben Duckett backs away to create room and cuts it to deep point for an easy single. 

Over the wicket, short of a length outside leg stump. Ben tucks it off the pads to the right of deep mid-wicket. Nissanka gets across in time and cuts it off before the ropes, and the batters pick up three runs.

Short of a good length, on middle, Root tucks it through widish mid-wicket for a single. 

On a nagging length, on middle, Duckett stands tall, flat bats it off the inner half, as the ball rolls back to the bowler. 

Slower ball, on a length, around middle and leg, Duckett works it gently down to long on for a single. 

Excellent stop! The Lankans may not have got the wickets, but they have been spot on with their ground fielding so far. On a back of a length, outside off, Root rides the bounce and cuts it to backward point, where Pavan Rathnayake dives to his right and makes a sharp stop.

FOUR! Through the gap! The maestro continues to pile on the runs. Pitched short, on middle, Joe Root waits for the ball to arrive and pulls it to the gap between deep square leg and deep mid-wicket region for a boundary.

OUT! LBW! Dishes out a leg break, fractionally fuller, on the leg stump line and it spins back in. Ben Duckett tries to reverse sweep it to the off side, but misses and wears it on the back thigh pad. A huge appeal for LBW, and up goes the finger. The Lankans are up as one but Duckett goes upstairs for a review straightaway.