4
1
wd
0
1lb
6
1
= 14
Match Details
ENG vs SL, 1st ODI, ENG vs SL 2026 live
ENG
252-10(49.2)
Sri Lanka won by 19 runs 🏆
SL
(50.0)271-6
+
P'ship : 0(0)
Commentary
All
Highlights
Overs
W
6s
4s
Inn 1
Inn 2
Milestone
Sri Lanka have been good at home in recent times when it comes to ODI cricket. Their quartet of spinners make it tough for visiting teams to score runs. For England, these conditions are very foreign, and they clearly struggled in that middle overs phase against the turning ball. The home side has taken the 1-0 lead and will look to win the series in their next outing in a few days' time.
Both teams will now meet each other for the second ODI in less than 48 hours back at the same venue. England will look to take the series into a decider, but they will have to play out of their skins for that!
On that note, I, Manan Mehta, would like to sign off on behalf of my colleagues Ninaad Dixit, Dev Rajawat, Yogesh Kumar and Aman. B-byeee!!!
Both teams will now meet each other for the second ODI in less than 48 hours back at the same venue. England will look to take the series into a decider, but they will have to play out of their skins for that!
On that note, I, Manan Mehta, would like to sign off on behalf of my colleagues Ninaad Dixit, Dev Rajawat, Yogesh Kumar and Aman. B-byeee!!!
Charith Asalanka (Sri Lanka Captain): "Not that worried in the end but yeah I know there are areas we need to improve in respect to fast bowling. Apart from that we were good.
We knew that the first 25 overs the ball won't spin. I told the bowlers to keep it tight. Post the 25th over the ball started to turn and the quartet of spinners bowled well.
For me Wellalage's contribution is big. He didn't get enough time with the bat but still did great damage. Took two wickets as well and a couple of good catches. I like to bowl. In the past two years I have bowled quite a bit and yeah, I just like to bowl."
We knew that the first 25 overs the ball won't spin. I told the bowlers to keep it tight. Post the 25th over the ball started to turn and the quartet of spinners bowled well.
For me Wellalage's contribution is big. He didn't get enough time with the bat but still did great damage. Took two wickets as well and a couple of good catches. I like to bowl. In the past two years I have bowled quite a bit and yeah, I just like to bowl."
Harry Brook (England Captain): "Yeah, the toss was very crucial in the end. However, Sri Lanka played a better game, and they deserve to take the victory. Actually, I thought we bowled really well. Our spinners bowled well. They just got hold of us in the last over and that can happen in ODI cricket. Sri Lanka played better as I said.
They have a very good side. Their spinners are very good. They used the pitch to their advantage and yeah, they had a very good game. Both Duckett and Root batted really well. They came out and said it is a difficult wicket to start on. We lost a few quick wickets in the middle overs and that always put you on the backfoot."
They have a very good side. Their spinners are very good. They used the pitch to their advantage and yeah, they had a very good game. Both Duckett and Root batted really well. They came out and said it is a difficult wicket to start on. We lost a few quick wickets in the middle overs and that always put you on the backfoot."
Dunith Wellalage (Player of the Match): "[on his cameo with the bat] I came to the wicket to support Kusal Mendis because he batted really well. In the last 3 overs we planned to score some runs.
[on his bowling] The most important thing was pace variation and that line."
[on his bowling] The most important thing was pace variation and that line."
Player of the Match: Dunith Wellalage
Time for the Post-Match Presentations...
Lowest Margin Win by Sri Lanka vs England at home in ODIs (By Runs):
3 Runs, Colombo (SSC), 1982
19 Runs, Colombo (RPS), 2026*
25 Runs, Colombo (RPS), 2014
3 Runs, Colombo (SSC), 1982
19 Runs, Colombo (RPS), 2026*
25 Runs, Colombo (RPS), 2014
Most Overs Bowled by Spinners in a Sri Lanka vs England ODI:
69 Overs, Colombo (RPS), 2026*
60.1 Overs, Pallekele, 2014
53 Overs, Colombo (RPS), 2014
69 Overs, Colombo (RPS), 2026*
60.1 Overs, Pallekele, 2014
53 Overs, Colombo (RPS), 2014
Most Overs Bowled by Sri Lanka's Spinners vs England in an ODI Innings:
36 Overs, Lord's 1998
36 Overs, Colombo (RPS), 2014
36 Overs, Colombo (RPS), 2026 (TODAY)*
35.1 Overs, Pallekele, 2014
36 Overs, Lord's 1998
36 Overs, Colombo (RPS), 2014
36 Overs, Colombo (RPS), 2026 (TODAY)*
35.1 Overs, Pallekele, 2014
10:06 PM IST and Local Time: Sri Lanka win by 19 runs! We have been treated to a fine ODI in Colombo! Both teams fought hard, but the home side was that much stronger than the visitors to sneak out a win. England's batting depth showed that no game is over till they are bowled out. However, the middle order should try and make sure they do the scoring rather than leaving it on the bowlers. Sri Lanka go 1-0 up with this win!
Sri Lanka won the toss and elected to bat first. The openers laid a decent foundation and brought up the 50 runs stand in 10 overs. England then struck twice in quick succession removing both the openers in their 20s to reduce the score to 54/2.
Kusal Mendis came out positively and started finding gaps from ball one. He was accompanied by Dhananjaya de Silva and Charith Asalanka in decent partnerships as they took the score to 124/4. Mendis brought up his 50 and that is when Janith Liyanage joined him.
That was the most profitable partnership for the home side. They stitched an 88 runs stand together pushing the score to 212/5 before Liyanage was dismissed for 46. When 250 looked like where Sri Lanka would end up, Dunith Wellalage came in at 8 and smashed a 12-ball unbeaten 25 to push the score to 271/6 in 50 overs. Kusal Mendis remained not out on 93.
The pick of the bowlers for the visitors were Adil Rashid (3-44) and Liam Dawson (1-31). The score looked above par by at least 20 runs at the halfway stage. The chase for England did not start on the best note as Zak Crawley was dismissed just for 6 in the third over. Ben Duckett and number 3 Joe Root brought calm to the storm as they brought up a splendid 100 runs stand for the second wicket. Both batters brought up their respective fifties and got England back on track.
That is when the Lankans struck and removed both batters in quick succession. From 129/1, the visitors slipped to 144/3. Duckett was dismissed for 62 and Root for 61. The required rate started mounting up as the Sri Lankan spinners curbed the scoring in the middle overs.
That pressure took out the middle order in no time with Harry Brook, Jacob Bethell and Sam Curran falling for less than 30 runs in all. So, the collapse was from 129/1 to 165/6. Jos Buttler and Rehan Ahmed brought some response post that. Ahmed was the aggressor as he found the ropes on consistent basis.
It looked like England were making a comeback but that is when a stunning catch from Dunith Wellalage got rid of the dangerous Ahmed. Buttler followed his partner soon as England were reeling at 213/9 within no time.
Jamie Overton brought back interest with some serious late order hitting. He started smoking the pacers and brought the game down to 20 runs off 6 balls. However, the task was a bit too steep, and he was dismissed for a 17-ball 34. England were eventually bowled out for 252. The pick of the bowlers for the home side were Jaffery Vandersay (2-39) and Dunith Wellalage (2-41). It was not just the bowlers, but the fielders were equally important in this defence of 271.
Sri Lanka won the toss and elected to bat first. The openers laid a decent foundation and brought up the 50 runs stand in 10 overs. England then struck twice in quick succession removing both the openers in their 20s to reduce the score to 54/2.
Kusal Mendis came out positively and started finding gaps from ball one. He was accompanied by Dhananjaya de Silva and Charith Asalanka in decent partnerships as they took the score to 124/4. Mendis brought up his 50 and that is when Janith Liyanage joined him.
That was the most profitable partnership for the home side. They stitched an 88 runs stand together pushing the score to 212/5 before Liyanage was dismissed for 46. When 250 looked like where Sri Lanka would end up, Dunith Wellalage came in at 8 and smashed a 12-ball unbeaten 25 to push the score to 271/6 in 50 overs. Kusal Mendis remained not out on 93.
The pick of the bowlers for the visitors were Adil Rashid (3-44) and Liam Dawson (1-31). The score looked above par by at least 20 runs at the halfway stage. The chase for England did not start on the best note as Zak Crawley was dismissed just for 6 in the third over. Ben Duckett and number 3 Joe Root brought calm to the storm as they brought up a splendid 100 runs stand for the second wicket. Both batters brought up their respective fifties and got England back on track.
That is when the Lankans struck and removed both batters in quick succession. From 129/1, the visitors slipped to 144/3. Duckett was dismissed for 62 and Root for 61. The required rate started mounting up as the Sri Lankan spinners curbed the scoring in the middle overs.
That pressure took out the middle order in no time with Harry Brook, Jacob Bethell and Sam Curran falling for less than 30 runs in all. So, the collapse was from 129/1 to 165/6. Jos Buttler and Rehan Ahmed brought some response post that. Ahmed was the aggressor as he found the ropes on consistent basis.
It looked like England were making a comeback but that is when a stunning catch from Dunith Wellalage got rid of the dangerous Ahmed. Buttler followed his partner soon as England were reeling at 213/9 within no time.
Jamie Overton brought back interest with some serious late order hitting. He started smoking the pacers and brought the game down to 20 runs off 6 balls. However, the task was a bit too steep, and he was dismissed for a 17-ball 34. England were eventually bowled out for 252. The pick of the bowlers for the home side were Jaffery Vandersay (2-39) and Dunith Wellalage (2-41). It was not just the bowlers, but the fielders were equally important in this defence of 271.
Commentary