Sri Lanka produced a brilliant all-round performance to clinch a 19-run victory over England in the opening One Day International (ODI) of the three-match series at the R. Premadasa Stadium in Colombo. 🇱🇰🏏🇬🇧

Battling under lights on Thursday, Sri Lanka set a challenging total of 271/6 in their 50 overs, thanks largely to a composed 93 not out from Kusal Mendis and a timely contribution from Janith Liyanage. England’s chase looked promising early on, but a decisive collapse against quality spin bowling ultimately handed the hosts the opening win.

🌟 Sri Lanka’s Batting Effort

Sri Lanka won the toss and elected to bat first. With England’s bowling attack testing them early, the home side managed to build partnerships and keep the scoreboard ticking:

• Kusal Mendis (93 off 117)* anchored the innings with smart stroke play, pacing his knock perfectly to frustrate the English attack.
• Janith Liyanage supported with a useful 46 runs, helping Sri Lanka push past the 270-run mark.
• A late cameo from Dunith Wellalage added valuable quick runs to the total.

By setting 271/6, Sri Lanka ensured that the target would be challenging under Colombo’s lights.

England’s Chase

England began their reply confidently, with Ben Duckett (62) and Joe Root (61) putting together a strong opening partnership that took the chase to a solid start. However, once that stand was broken, England lost momentum:

• The middle order could not sustain the charge as Sri Lanka’s bowlers, especially the spinners, applied consistent pressure.
• England eventually finished on 252 all out in 49.2 overs, falling short of the target by 19 runs.

Key Performers

• ⭐ Kusal Mendis (Sri Lanka): Player of the Match for his unbeaten 93, showcasing maturity and control in a pressure game.
• 🎯 Sri Lanka’s spinners: Played a crucial role in the latter half of England’s innings, taking vital wickets and slowing the scoring rate.

What It Means

With this win, Sri Lanka takes a 1-0 lead in the ODI series, setting up an exciting battle for the second match. Their strong performance at home highlights both batting resilience and bowling discipline, particularly against quality opponents like England.

England, meanwhile, will look to regroup and come back stronger in the next ODI. Despite promising contributions from the top order, the middle overs proved costly, and tightening up their batting approach will be key ahead of the next game.

🔑 Final Score

• Sri Lanka: 271/6 (50 overs)
• England: 252 (49.2 overs)
• Result: Sri Lanka won by 19 runs