England suffered a frustrating start to their tour of Sri Lanka, falling to a 19-run defeat in the first ODI in Colombo on January 22. Despite high hopes for a morale-boosting win, Harry Brook’s side struggled against the hosts' disciplined spin attack.
Sri Lanka hand England 19-run defeat in 1st ODI
Chasing a target of 272 at the R. Premadasa Stadium, England appeared well-placed following half-centuries from Joe Root (61) and Ben Duckett (62). However, the innings lost momentum as they collapsed from a comfortable 129/1 to a precarious 165/6.
The foundation for Sri Lanka’s victory was laid by Kusal Mendis, whose masterful, unbeaten 93 guided the hosts to a competitive total of 271/6. While England's bowlers, led by Adil Rashid’s three wickets, managed to apply pressure mid-innings, a late flourish from Dunith Wellalage helped push the score out of easy reach. England's under-fire batting unit ultimately could not maintain the required rate under the lights, despite a late-order cameo from Jamie Overton that offered a glimmer of hope.
With the hosts taking a 1-0 lead in the three-match series, England’s recent struggles in the ODI format continue. The visitors were eventually bowled out for 252 in the final over.
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Kusal Mendis, hero of Sri Lanka's win
Sri Lanka’s batting effort was defined by recovery and late-innings acceleration. After finding themselves at 111/3 at the halfway mark, Kusal Mendis (93 off 11& played a crucial anchor role, stitching together an 81-run partnership with Janith Liyanage to steady the ship. The momentum shifted drastically in the closing overs, capped by a blistering cameo from Dunith Wellalage, who hammered 25 runs off just 12 balls to propel the hosts to a competitive 271/6.
England’s bowling performance was a tale of two halves. While captain Harry Brook leaned heavily on his spin quartet—who combined for a respectable 4/124, the death bowling struggled to contain the late surge. Adil Rashid was the standout performer with figures of 3/44, but the final 10 overs proved costly as England conceded 80 runs. The final over from Jamie Overton was particularly expensive, disappearing for 23 runs and giving Sri Lanka significant momentum heading into the break.
The chase began under a cloud of Ashes scars as England’s top five batters looked to transition from the fast, bouncy tracks of Australia to Colombo’s low and turning wicket. Zak Crawley, playing his first List-A match in over two years, fell early for just 6 after edging a wide delivery. While Ben Duckett initially appeared unsettled by the lack of bounce, he eventually found his rhythm alongside Joe Root, who looked comfortable from the moment he arrived at the crease.
The pair seemed to have the game under control as they reached a 100-run partnership, bringing England to 111/1 at the 25-over mark—identical to Sri Lanka’s score at the same stage. Both batters reached their half-centuries in the same over, leaving England needing 161 runs with nine wickets in hand. However, the game shifted dramatically when Sri Lanka’s spinners began to turn the screw, sparking a middle-order collapse that saw England slide from a position of strength to a narrow 19-run defeat.
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Root, Duckett's fifties in vain
England’s promising chase in Colombo fell apart as Sri Lanka’s spinners took total control of the middle overs. Ben Duckett provided a rare bright spot with a well-made 62—his highest score across 19 innings in all formats—before his attempt at a reverse-sweep proved fatal. He was trapped plumb LBW by Jeffrey Vandersay, a breakthrough that signaled the start of a terminal collapse for the tourists.
The situation worsened when Joe Root, who had looked imperious for his 61, was also undone while attempting a sweep. Part-timer Dhananjaya de Silva beat him with the angle, and although the umpire initially said not out, a successful Sri Lankan review left England reeling at 144/3. Root was visibly frustrated by the decision, reportedly directing some "choice words" toward the middle as he departed, aware that his exit had left the game wide open.
From there, the middle order crumbled under the pressure of the turning ball. Captain Harry Brook fell for just six after a mistimed charge at Charith Asalanka resulted in a stumping. In almost identical fashion, Jacob Bethell was stumped the very next over off the bowling of Dunith Wellalage. Wellalage continued his dominant spell by claiming a sharp caught-and-bowled to dismiss Sam Curran, effectively ending any realistic hopes of an England victory.
Despite the dire situation, the lower order managed to inject some late drama. Rehan Ahmed (27) and Jos Buttler (19) played aggressive cameos before Jamie Overton launched a counter-attack, smashing 34 runs off just 17 balls. His late fireworks brought the equation down to 20 runs needed from the final over, but his dismissal on the second delivery of that over saw England bowled out for 252. The two teams will meet again at the same venue on January 24, with England needing a win to keep the series alive.