Sri Lanka displayed remarkable resilience at Headingley in Leeds, stopping England’s chase and securing a 16‑run win that leveled the three‑match One‑Day International series at 1‑1. The encounter was a roller‑coaster of drama, most notably highlighted by Jos Buttler’s innings.
Buttler seemed poised to be the decisive factor, but in the 38th over he was forced to retire hurt after pulling up with what appeared to be a hamstring strain, with England sitting at 254‑4. Despite the setback, Buttler returned to the crease in the 48th over, only to manage two more runs before being dismissed again. England’s middle order also crumbled: Will Jacks (52), Rehan Ahmed (0), Gus Atkinson (16) and Jamie Overton (2) fell quickly, and after the 37th over the side managed just a single boundary and a six. The collapse came after a brilliant start from England, with Ben Duckett (67) and Tom Banton (73) giving the hosts a solid platform, but Sri Lanka’s disciplined bowling, led by Dunith Wellalage’s 3‑49, turned the tide.
The Sri Lankan captain, Kusal Mendis, contributed a sensational unbeaten 121, anchoring the chase. When Sri Lanka posted a target of 322, England entered the innings with optimism. The early overs were explosive: Banton and Duckett ripped through the field, and England raced to 82‑0 after ten overs, their highest ever ODI Powerplay total against Sri Lanka.
Duckett reached his tenth ODI half‑century in the 12th over, and Banton followed with his second in the 15th, both cruising towards personal bests. However, the breakthrough came when Wellalage, with a cleverly disguised delivery, dismissed Duckett for 67 and soon after trapped Banton lbw. Two overs later, captain Harry Brook fell to an lbw decision that Sri Lanka successfully reviewed, leaving England at 157‑3 with 165 runs still required.
Sachindu Colombage then claimed the prized wicket of Joe Root (17), further tightening the noose. Although England crossed the 200‑run mark, they still had 21 overs to negotiate. Buttler arrived at the crease with intent, scoring a rapid half‑century in just 36 balls, his 46th ODI fifty. Yet his momentum was halted when a hamstring injury forced him to retire hurt, prompting a frantic reshuffle.
Jacks tried to steady the ship, reaching his own fifty, but Sri Lanka’s bowlers tightened the run rate, and the wickets of Ahmed, Atkinson and Overton fell as the death overs took hold. In a desperate final push, Buttler limped back out for a last‑ditch effort, adding only two runs before Kamindu Mendis claimed his catch at the start of the 50th over. The match then boiled down to Jofra Archer (0) and Josh Tongue (1) needing 19 runs from the final over. Only three runs were scored, sealing Sri Lanka’s hard‑earned victory, a win that showcased both character and tactical acumen.
Sri Lanka’s innings began after winning the toss and electing to bat on a firm Headingley pitch. Pathum Nissanka (25) fell at the end of the ninth over, but the visitors were 46‑1 at the close of the Powerplay. A pivotal partnership between Kamindu Mendis (54) and captain Kusal Mendis (121) propelled the side past 100 in the 20th over. Kusal reached his half‑century in the 23rd over with a massive six, and Kamindu soon notched his fourth ODI fifty from 56 balls, while England’s spinners Ahmed (2‑48) and Jacks (0‑33) struggled for control.
England finally broke through in the 30th over when Brook caught Kamindu on the boundary. Undeterred, Kusal continued to dominate, reaching his century in just 82 balls during the 31st over, aided by a successful review that overturned an initial caught‑behind decision. The innings marked his seventh ODI hundred, featuring 12 fours and three sixes.
He eventually fell in the 36th over, attempting another boundary, and was caught by Banton, leaving Sri Lanka at 222‑3. The lower order contributed valuable runs: Charith Asalanka (11), Pavan Rathnayake (47), Janith Liyanage (32), Wellalage (16*), and Sachindu Colombage (3*) pushed the total to 321‑5, a score just sufficient to level the series. Post‑match, Sri Lanka captain Kusal Mendis, who earned the player‑of‑the‑match award, reflected: "I’m thrilled to win and to score a hundred.
The overall performance was very good. We started strongly and the middle order batted well. It was basic cricket, and I’m happy with 320; we wanted more than 300 on this pitch. Wellalage bowled excellently, the whole team gave 100 % after the Powerplay.
Now we focus on the next game and get the basics right." England captain Harry Brook admitted the disappointment but remained optimistic: "It was an outstanding game. You can analyse many areas, but we go back to the drawing board and prepare for The Oval. We gave a solid fight with the ball, restricting them to 320 and giving us a chance to chase.
The chase started well, but we stalled in the middle and lost too many wickets. The fight we showed was great. We now have a great opportunity to win the series and to test ourselves in pressure situations at The Oval." The series will be decided on Sunday, September 27, at The Kia Oval, with the first ball scheduled for 10:30 am, broadcast live on Sky Sports. All times are UK and Ireland.