England's ODI Misery Deepens with 19-Run Defeat to Sri Lanka in Colombo
The England cricket team endured further disappointment on their tour of Sri Lanka, succumbing to a 19-run defeat in the first One Day International in Colombo. Chasing a target of 272, the tourists were bowled out for 252, with their innings losing momentum dramatically after a promising start.
Promising Start Unravels Against Spin
Half-centuries from Joe Root and Ben Duckett had initially positioned England favourably in their pursuit of victory under the Colombo lights. The pair guided the team to 129-1, seemingly setting a solid foundation for the chase. However, the introduction of Sri Lanka's spinners proved decisive, as England collapsed from 129-1 to 165-6, with the life draining from their batting effort.
Duckett top-scored with 62, his highest score in 19 innings across all formats, before falling lbw while attempting a reverse sweep off Jeffrey Vandersay. Root followed shortly after for 61, dismissed sweeping against Dhananjaya de Silva, with the batter visibly frustrated as he left the field.
Mendis Masterclass Sets Challenging Target
Sri Lanka's imposing total of 271-6 was built around a superb unbeaten 93 from Kusal Mendis, who anchored the innings with composure. From a position of 111-3 at the halfway stage, Mendis shared an 81-run partnership with Janith Liyanage before Dunith Wellalage provided late impetus with a blistering 25 from just 12 deliveries.
England's bowling in the final ten overs proved costly, conceding 80 runs, including 23 from Jamie Overton's final over. Captain Harry Brook utilised four spinners, who returned combined figures of 4-124, with Adil Rashid the pick of the attack with 3-44.
Familiar Batting Collapse Haunts England
England's top-order batters arrived in Colombo bearing scars from their recent 4-1 Ashes defeat in Australia, and despite different conditions—swapping fast, bouncy tracks for a low, turning wicket—the batting collapse felt eerily familiar.
Zak Crawley, playing his first List-A game in over two years, fell for just six, flashing at a wide delivery from Asitha Fernando. Captain Harry Brook departed in ugly fashion for six, stumped after advancing to Charith Asalanka, while Jacob Bethell suffered an identical dismissal the following over.
Late fireworks from Rehan Ahmed (27), Jos Buttler (19), and Jamie Overton (34) offered brief hope, reducing the equation to 20 required from the final over. However, Overton fell from the second ball, sealing England's fate.
Broader Context of England's Struggles
This defeat extends England's miserable run in ODI cricket, having now lost 11 of their last 15 50-over matches throughout 2025. This poor form raises the embarrassing prospect of missing automatic qualification for the 2027 World Cup, with England currently languishing in eighth position in the ODI rankings.
The match was played against a backdrop of speculation regarding the team's future, with head coach Brendon McCullum's position still under scrutiny. Captain Harry Brook had admitted prior to the match that he was fortunate to retain the leadership role following an altercation with a nightclub bouncer in New Zealand during England's last white-ball engagement in October.
The second ODI between England and Sri Lanka is scheduled for the same ground on Saturday, offering Brook's men an immediate opportunity to address their faltering form and boost morale within the camp.
