England vs Sri Lanka Live ஸ்கோர், 1st ODI of Sri Lanka tour of England, 2026

Looking ahead to the next battle - That wraps up our coverage of an action-packed opening clash, but the excitement is far from over as Sri Lanka will look to bounce back and level the series. Make sure to tune in for the 2nd ODI of this series, scheduled to be played at 11.30 am GMT on Thursday, 24th September. Until then, thank you for joining us, and cheers for now!

Skipper of England - Harry Brook starts by saying that the surface wasn't the easiest one, and says that lately they have done well to adapt to surfaces. Feels that they looked at getting to 280 with the start they got, but scraped to 260, which was still good. Brook then lauds Will Jacks for his all-round effort. He then calls Jamie Overton another fantastic white ball cricketer. On Rehan Ahmed, Brook says that he actually did well and did what was asked of him, and was a bit unlucky to get some tap towards the end.

Skipper of Sri Lanka -  Kusal Mendis, on where they lost that game, says he thinks the bowlers did really well in the first innings and the middle order struggled while batting and Pathum Nissanka batted really well and so did Dunith Wellalage and he thinks they have to create something special in the middle order. On whether 265 was par on this pitch, he says he thinks their bowlers did really well, that is why they scored 265, and it was a good score for their batters to chase on this wicket. On their over rate, he says they have to do it better sometime while bowling the second innings and they have to bowl on time and if the game gets tight they have to ensure five fielders are outside the ring and they have to be quicker. On whether they could have been a little more attacking earlier on, he says, yeah, a little bit, as Pathum batted really well and they need to hit more boundaries. On Sachindu Colombage, he says he bowled really well, controlled the game and batted positively later and he is very happy with him.

PLAYER OF THE MATCH - Will Jacks wins the award for his all-round performance, where he first scored 46 runs with the bat and then took 5 for 22. Will Jacks says that it was a really good all-round effort from the team and it feels good to navigate a tricky period with the bat. Adds that they have had excellent communication regarding how the pitch was playing and he personally felt that the pitch was a bit difficult to start on. On his role as finisher, Jacks says that he is now starting to accept this role. On his bowling, he says that he had already batted on the deck and knew a bit of what to do with the ball. Ends by admitting that it was a pretty decent delivery to seal his five-wicket haul.

Presentation time ...

Jacks directs a dominant English victory - The second innings belonged entirely to Will Jacks, who spun a web around the Lankan batters to claim a magnificent five-wicket haul. Jamie Overton provided excellent support with a couple of wickets, and the rest of the bowling attack, barring Jofra Archer, chipped in to close out the game. A clinical bowling performance ensured England secured a comprehensive 89-run victory to take the lead in the ODI series.

Visitors falter after a promising start - Chasing 266, Sri Lanka started steadily as their opening pair put up 27 runs. They looked firmly in the contest at 84 for 2 by the 20th over, thanks to a solid 42 from Kusal Mendis and a top-scoring effort of 45 from Dunith Wellalage. However, the chase completely derailed from that point onward. An under-par batting display from the rest of the lineup triggered a collapse, seeing the visitors bowled out for a disappointing 176.

Sri Lankan bowlers struck in batches - Sri Lanka's bowling attack showed resilience, chipping away at England's deep batting lineup to keep the score in check. Asitha Fernando and debutant Sachindu Colombage were the picks of the bowlers, claiming three wickets apiece with disciplined spells. The rest of the bowling unit supported them, with each bowler taking a wicket to dismantle the English outfit just short of their full 50 overs.

England set a strong platform - England win the first ODI by 89 runs. England posted a competitive total of 265 before being bowled out in the 49th over after electing to bat first. The cornerstone of their innings was a cohesive effort from the middle order, which clicked in unison to anchor the team. Skipper Harry Brook led from the front, top-scoring with a fluent 67 off 69 balls. Contributions from Joe Root and Will Jacks, who both scored in the 40s, alongside handy 30s from Jos Buttler and Ben Duckett, ensured the hosts set a challenging target despite losing wickets in the death overs.

OUT! TIMBER! That's it, it's all over. What a beauty from Will Jacks to round off proceedings with a maiden ODI five-wicket haul. Flighted ball wide of the off stump, Jacks gets the ball to drift and dip and spin a mile. Dilshan Madushanka gets a stride out to defend, but the ball turns in big and goes through the huge gap between bat and pad to knock over the off stump. England win by 89 runs.

Dilshan Madushanka is out last to bat for Lanka.

OUT! CAUGHT! Will Jacks is putting on a match-winning display here as he gets his fourth wicket. This is tossed up, fuller and turning into the stumps. Asitha Fernando clears the front leg, goes down on one knee and swings with the spin. However, Fernando gets more height than distance and the ball sails to wide long on. Tom Banton gets under it and takes it nicely to his right. Sri Lanka 176/9, and on the verge on being bowled out.

Oh, that's turned a mile. On a length and well outside off. Asitha Fernando looks to defend it off the back foot but the ball turns past the blade and hits the pads.

Asitha Fernando walks out at 10.

OUT! CAUGHT! That should be the final nail in the coffin for Sri Lanka. Will Jacks comes around the wicket to the left-hander, hanging it up on a length, getting it to drift as well. Dunith Wellalage skips down the track and gives it an almighty hoick but miscues it high towards mid on. Jamie Overton over there takes a few steps back and pouches it safely. Wellalage's counter-punch comes to an end and England are just two wickets way from the win now.

Tossed up wide of the off stump. Chameera steps out and clips it down to long on for a single.

Floated up from wider on the crease, trying to drift it in. Dushmantha Chameera defends it off.

At the same stage, England were 199 for.

FOUR! Not the most convincing shot, but Wellalage is keeping Sri Lanka in the hunt. A well-directed short ball over middle. Wellalage goes after it and gets a massive top edge that flies straight over the keeper's head for a boundary.

Lovely shot. Much fuller this time and outside off, Dushmantha Chameera extends the arms and drives it past extra cover. Harry Brook chases it down as the batters get three runs.

Banged in on a shorter length, over off. Dushmantha Chameera gets right behind the line to make another block.

On the shorter side again, Chameera rises with the bounce and taps it down to cover-point.

Short and angled across off, Wellalage stays upright and steers it down to deep third for a single.

Good length, over middle, just nibbling away. Wellalage presses back and defends it to point. The fielder has an unnecessary shy at the bowler's end and the ball deflects off the stumps, but no run is conceded.

On a length and outside off, dabbed away to deep backward point for one more. 99 needed now off 90 balls.

Fuller one, floated up on off. Chameera just blocks it into the off side and gets a single.

Jacks drags the length back, bowling it flat on off. Dushmantha Chameera hops back to defend.

Tossed up outside off, Chameers thinks about stepping out but adjusts and makes the block.

High-arm action, looping it up on off stump. Wellalage smothers it away through short third for a single.

Flighted up around off, Dushmantha Chameera comes down the pitch and hits it to the right of Jamie Overton at mid off, pinching a quick single.