England's one-day international struggles persisted as they suffered a 19-run defeat against Sri Lanka in the series opener at Colombo's R Premadasa Stadium. Chasing 272, the visitors collapsed from a promising 129-1 to 252 all out, with spin bowling proving their undoing.
Key Performances and Turning Points
- Ben Duckett (62) and Joe Root (61) built a solid 117-run partnership before both fell lbw to spin
- England lost 5-35 in a crucial middle-overs collapse, including captain Harry Brook for just 6
- Jamie Overton's explosive 34 off 17 balls gave late hope before his dismissal sealed the result
- Kusal Mendis anchored Sri Lanka's innings with an unbeaten 93, while Adil Rashid took 3-44 for England
"The spinners really put the squeeze on us after that Root-Duckett stand. When you lose wickets in clusters like that, it's always tough to recover," said England's assistant coach during the post-match interview.
Match Summary
| Sri Lanka | 271-6 (50 overs) |
|---|---|
| England | 252 all out (49.2 overs) |
| Top Scorer | Kusal Mendis 93* (SL), Ben Duckett 62 (ENG) |
| Best Bowler | Pramod Madushan 3-39 (SL), Adil Rashid 3-44 (ENG) |
The defeat extends England's poor ODI form, having lost 11 of their last 15 matches. With the second ODI scheduled for Saturday in Colombo (9am UK), the visitors will need rapid improvements to keep the series alive.
Notable moments included Dunith Wellalage's spectacular boundary catch to dismiss Rehan Ahmed and Sri Lanka's spin trio sharing five wickets. England's batting fragility against slow bowling remains a pressing concern as they sit eighth in the ODI rankings.
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