England captain Harry Brook decided to bat first after winning the all-important toss in the decisive third and final ODI against Sri Lanka on Tuesday afternoon in Colombo.
After levelling the three-match series with a five-wicket win on Saturday, the visitors retained their winning combination as they eye a crucial away series victory to boost their ICC rankings.
Sri Lanka, meanwhile, are desperate for a comeback to maintain their home ODI series dominance, having remained unbeaten at home since September 2021. Making the only change to their XI, premier leg-spinner Wanindu Hasaranga returned to the side after being rested for the first two ODIs, with Pramod Madushan left out.
Playing XI
Sri Lanka: Pathum Nissanka, Kamil Mishara, Kusal Mendis (WK), Dhananjaya de Silva, Charith Asalanka (C), Janith Liyanage, Pavan Rathnayake, Dunith Wellalage, Wanindu Hasaranga, Jeffrey Vandersay, Asitha Fernando
England: Rehan Ahmed, Ben Duckett, Joe Root, Jacob Bethell, Harry Brook (C), Jos Buttler (WK), Sam Curran, Will Jacks, Jamie Overton, Liam Dawson, Adil Rashid
| Batsmen | R | B | 4s | 6s | SR | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rehan Ahmed | c Jeffery Vandersay b Wanindu Hasaranga | 24 | 37 | 3 | 0 | 64.86 |
| Ben Duckett | c Dunith Wellalage b Dhananjaya de Silva | 7 | 17 | 0 | 0 | 41.18 |
| Joe Root | not out | 12 | 10 | 2 | 0 | 120.00 |
| Jacob Bethell | not out | 2 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 50.00 |
| Extras | 1 (b 0 , lb 1 , nb 0, w 0, pen 0) |
| Total | 46/2 (11 Overs, RR: 4.18) |
| Bowling | O | M | R | W | Econ | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Asitha Fernando | 3 | 0 | 9 | 0 | 3.00 | |
| Janith Liyanage | 3 | 1 | 7 | 0 | 2.33 | |
| Dhananjaya de Silva | 2 | 0 | 19 | 1 | 9.50 | |
| Dunith Wellalage | 2 | 0 | 6 | 0 | 3.00 | |
| Wanindu Hasaranga | 1 | 0 | 5 | 1 | 5.00 | |
