Sri Lanka kicked off the series with an exciting 19-run win over England at the R.Premadasa Stadium in Colombo. Kusal Mendis played a brilliant knock, scoring 93 runs and staying unbeaten till the end. But the real hero was Dunith Wellalage, who smashed a quick 25 runs off just 12 balls at the death. His hitting in the final overs pushed Sri Lanka to a strong total of 271/6.
England fought hard in the chase with good knocks from their batsmen, but Wellalage struck again with the ball, taking two important wickets. His all-round show earned him the Player of the Match award as Sri Lanka took a 1-0 lead.
Sri Lanka vs England 1st ODI Match Summary
| Match Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Match | Sri Lanka vs England, 1st ODI |
| Series | England tour of Sri Lanka 2026 |
| Venue | R. Premadasa Stadium, Colombo |
| Result | Sri Lanka won by 19 runs |
| Player of the Match | Dunith Wellalage |
| Sri Lanka Score | 271/6 in 50 overs |
| England Score | 252 all out in 49.2 overs |
Sri Lanka’s First Innings: Mendis Steady, Wellalage on Fire
Sri Lanka had a shaky start, losing both openers early. Pathum Nissanka made 21 and Kamil Mishara scored 27 before getting out. After that, Kusal Mendis took control and played a superb innings. He scored 93 runs off 117 balls, hitting 11 beautiful boundaries. Janith Liyanage supported him well with 46 runs off 53 balls, including five fours and two sixes. Together, they put on 88 runs and brought Sri Lanka back into the game.
The real excitement came in the last over when Wellalage walked in. He went crazy, smashing Jamie Overton all around the ground. He scored 18 runs in that final over alone, hitting three fours and a massive six. His quick 25 runs off just 12 balls took Sri Lanka’s score from 239 to 271. England’s bowlers tried their best, with Adil Rashid taking 3 wickets, but they couldn’t stop Wellalage’s explosive hitting at the end.
England’s Second Innings: Good Start But Couldn’t Finish
England needed 272 runs to win and started poorly when Zak Crawley got out for just 6 runs. But then Ben Duckett and Joe Root came together and played really well. They added 117 runs for the second wicket and got England back on track. Duckett scored 62 runs with five fours and a six, while Root made a solid 61 with five boundaries. Both batsmen looked comfortable and gave England a real chance of winning.
However, things fell apart quickly after Duckett got out. England lost five wickets for only 36 runs and suddenly the match slipped away. Wellalage removed both Jacob Bethell and Sam Curran to put more pressure on England. Jamie Overton tried his best at the end, smashing 34 runs off just 17 balls with four fours and two sixes. Rehan Ahmed also hit 27 runs, but it was too late. Pramod Madushan took 3 wickets to finish off England’s innings, and Wellalage’s 2 wickets completed his dream match. England were bowled out for 252, losing by 19 runs.
