The details of the second match of the 2026 ODI series between England and Sri Lanka are as follows:
England’s magnificent comeback: Sri Lanka defeated by 5 wickets in the second ODI
Colombo: England defeated Sri Lanka by 5 wickets in the second ODI to level the three-match series 1-1. Joe Root’s all-round performance was the highlight of the match, who first showed his brilliance with the bowling and then led the team to victory with the bat.
Match report: Sri Lanka’s batting
Sri Lanka won the toss and decided to bat first, but their entire team was dismissed for 219 runs in 49.3 overs.
- Charith Asalanka stood out with 45 runs.
- Dhananjaya de Silva played an innings of 40 runs.
- Joe Root, Adil Rashid and Jamie Overton took 2 wickets each for England. Joe Root took two wickets off two consecutive balls in the last over of the innings to end the Sri Lankan innings.
England’s response
Chasing a target of 220 runs, England got off to a good start. Although a few wickets fell in the middle, experienced batsman Joe Root kept one end in check.
- Joe Root played a responsible innings of 75 runs off 90 balls.
- Harry Brook scored 42 and Ben Duckett supported him well by scoring 39 runs.
- Captain Josh Buttler finally scored a blistering 33 runs (not beaten) to end the match in 46.2 overs.
Key points of the match
| Players | Performance |
|---|---|
| Joe Root (England) | 75 runs and 2 wickets (Man of the Match) |
| Charith Asalanka (Sri Lanka) | 45 runs |
| Series Status | Series tied 1-1 |
Next step: The series decider (third) ODI will be played on 27 January 2026.