Sri Lanka–England 3rd ODI Brook, Root centuries seal series for England

By M. Shamil Amit

Centuries by skipper Harry Brook and Joe Root, backed by a solid half-century from Jacob Bethell, powered England to a comfortable 53-run win over Sri Lanka in the third and deciding ODI played under floodlights at the R. Premadasa Stadium, as the visitors clinched the series 2–1.

Chasing a daunting target of 354 runs, Sri Lanka were given a steady start by openers Pathum Nissanka and Kamil Mishara, who put on 48 runs. However, despite a valiant maiden ODI century by Pavan Ratnayake, the hosts could only manage 304.

The dismissal of Mishara sparked a slide as Sri Lanka lost two wickets for 46 runs, including those of Nissanka and Kusal Mendis. Nissanka struck a brisk 50 off 25 balls, with five boundaries and three sixes, as Sri Lanka slipped to 94 for 3 in the tenth over.

Ratnayake attempted to rebuild the innings with useful stands of 38 with skipper Charith Asalanka, 43 with Janith Liyanage, and 28 with Dhananjaya de Silva, but Sri Lanka were soon struggling at 202 for 6 in the 32nd over.

Joined by Dunith Wellalage, Ratnayake kept Sri Lanka’s hopes alive with a 50-run partnership at run-a-ball pace for the seventh wicket. Wellalage was dismissed for 22, and the task became increasingly difficult.

The dismissal of Wanindu Hasaranga, the last recognised batsman, all but sealed Sri Lanka’s fate. Ratnayake, however, reached his century off 104 balls and was the final wicket to fall, finishing with 121 off 115 balls, including 12 fours and a six.

Harry Brook raced to a 57-ball hundred Pix by Pradeep Dilruckshana

Earlier, England skipper Harry Brook won the toss and elected to bat. England were in early trouble at 40 for 2 in the 11th over before Root steadied the innings alongside Bethell.

The pair added 126 runs for the third wicket, with Root reaching his half-century off 54 balls and Bethell following with a fifty off 64 balls. Bethell was eventually dismissed for 65 off 72 balls, which included eight boundaries.

Root then found strong support in Brook, and the pair dominated the Sri Lankan bowling on a batting-friendly surface. They brought up 200 runs with ease, with Brook reaching his fifty off just 40 balls.

Root completed his century off 100 balls, while Brook went on the offensive, racing to his hundred in just 57 balls, smashing eight boundaries and six towering sixes. Their unbroken 191-run partnership for the fourth wicket put the match beyond Sri Lanka’s reach.

England finished on a formidable 357 for 3, with Root unbeaten on 111 off 108 balls and Brook hammering 136 off 66 balls. The final five overs yielded 88 runs, underlining England’s dominance.