Sachindu Colombage dismissed Joe Root on ODI debut. [Source - AFP]There are some ODI debuts that quietly pass by, and then there are moments that instantly announce a player to the world. Sachindu Colombage’s Sri Lanka debut belonged firmly to the latter, for one unforgettable reason.A 28-year-old leg-spinner from Negombo, Sachindu Colombage walked into Sri Lanka’s ODI setup with plenty still to prove. Yet, within his opening spell against England, he produced a moment few could have imagined, leaving one of England’s biggest names stunned.Sachindu Colombage Destroys Joe Root’s Stumps to Claim Maiden ODI WicketSri Lanka were asked to bowl first in the first ODI of the three-match series against England at the Riverside Ground in Chester-le-Street, handing a debut to leg-spinner Sachindu Colombage. He started slowly, conceding a few runs, but in his fifth over, he did the unthinkable.Colombage had conceded a few runs earlier in his spell, but he bounced back in style against one of the best batters in the world. It was the 23rd over of the innings when Joe Root looked comfortable, but Colombage pushed him onto the back foot with a slightly shorter delivery.The ball gripped the pitch and turned just enough to beat Root’s outside edge before crashing into the top of off. Root was dismissed for 44 off 52 balls, giving Colombage his maiden ODI wicket on debut and leaving England at 136 for 3 after 23 overs.Sachindu Colombage Ends Joe Root’s Remarkable ODI Streak Joe Root had been enjoying a dream run in ODIs in 2026, and is currently the second-highest run-scorer in the world this year. He had scored 540 runs in seven ODI innings at an incredible average of 180.More importantly, Root had crossed the 50-run mark in each of his previous six ODI innings, including a century. But Sachindu Colombage changed that on his ODI debut, dismissing Root for 44 and ending his run of six straight 50-plus scores in 2026.Also Read: Joe Root Joins Virat Kohli; Goes Past Sachin Tendulkar To Complete Elite MilestoneRoot has also enjoyed batting against Sri Lanka over the years. Before today, the last time he was dismissed by a Sri Lankan bowler in an ODI without reaching 50 was back in October 2018. Since then, he had gone seven innings against them without such a dismissal.That made Colombage’s wicket even more special. The 28-year-old leg-spinner became the first Sri Lankan bowler to dismiss Joe Root in ODI cricket, doing so on his very first appearance. Root did fall for just 3 runs against Sri Lanka in the 2023 World Cup, but that dismissal came via a run-out rather than a bowler.From LPL 2026 Success to ODI debut, Sachindu Colombage’s Unforgettable Journey For Sachindu Colombage, the journey to this moment has been anything but straightforward. He made his professional debut back in 2019, playing domestic club T20 cricket for Nondescripts Cricket Club alongside Sri Lankan regular Pathum Nissanka and veteran Dinesh Chandimal.His career never really took off initially, with inconsistent runs leaving him in and out of the domestic setup. But LPL 2026 completely changed his story, bringing the mystery leg-spinner back into the mix. Playing for Galle Gladiators, Colombage took 10 wickets at an economy rate of 7.95. FormatMatchesWicketsAverageFirst-ClassSelectAdd Row AboveAdd Row BelowAdd Column RightAdd Column LeftDelete RowDelete ColumnDelete Table14SelectAdd Row AboveAdd Row BelowAdd Column RightAdd Column LeftDelete RowDelete ColumnDelete Table27SelectAdd Row AboveAdd Row BelowAdd Column RightAdd Column LeftDelete RowDelete ColumnDelete Table36.18SelectAdd Row AboveAdd Row BelowAdd Column RightAdd Column LeftDelete RowDelete ColumnDelete TableList ASelectAdd Row AboveAdd Row BelowAdd Column RightAdd Column LeftDelete RowDelete ColumnDelete Table45SelectAdd Row AboveAdd Row BelowAdd Column RightAdd Column LeftDelete RowDelete ColumnDelete Table69SelectAdd Row AboveAdd Row BelowAdd Column RightAdd Column LeftDelete RowDelete ColumnDelete Table22.55SelectAdd Row AboveAdd Row BelowAdd Column RightAdd Column LeftDelete RowDelete ColumnDelete TableT20SelectAdd Row AboveAdd Row BelowAdd Column RightAdd Column LeftDelete RowDelete ColumnDelete Table49SelectAdd Row AboveAdd Row BelowAdd Column RightAdd Column LeftDelete RowDelete ColumnDelete Table69SelectAdd Row AboveAdd Row BelowAdd Column RightAdd Column LeftDelete RowDelete ColumnDelete Table15.62SelectAdd Row AboveAdd Row BelowAdd Column RightAdd Column LeftDelete RowDelete ColumnDelete Table (Sachindu Colombage Domestic Stats)He also took six wickets in Sri Lanka’s domestic List A competition this year, earning his place in the ODI squad for the England tour. And now, on his international debut for Sri Lanka, Colombage has Joe Root as his maiden wicket. For a player who waited years for this opportunity, it could hardly have been a better start.Also Read: Amid Two Rape Case Allegations, Yash Dayal Picked For Uttar Pradesh’s Ranji Trophy Camp
