Brook, Root tons give England series win
Harry Brook delivered the perfect riposte to his pre-match pitch criticism, smashing an audacious unbeaten 136 off just 66 balls to power England to a series-clinching 53-run victory in the third ODI at the R Premadasa Stadium. The England captain, who had courted controversy by slamming the pitch quality at the toss, let his bat do the talking in spectacular fashion as England secured their first overseas bilateral ODI series triumph in three years.
The England skipper had raised eyebrows by openly questioning the surfaces prepared for the series, calling them substandard even before the toss on Monday evening. Sri Lankan captain Charith Asalanka had diplomatically pushed back, suggesting his opinion might differ from Brook's assessment. But any doubts about the visiting skipper's commitment evaporated as he tore into the Sri Lankan attack with breathtaking brutality. His ton came at a staggering strike rate of 206.06, featuring 11 fours and nine towering sixes as England blazed to a total of 357.
The innings didn't start smoothly for England. Ben Duckett fell early, reverse-sweeping Dhananjaya de Silva straight to point for just 7, while Rehan Ahmed's promising 24 ended tamely when he picked out midwicket off Wanindu Hasaranga's long hop. At 40/2 in the 11th over, Sri Lanka sensed an opening.
Joe Root, however, provided the perfect foundation for Brook's pyrotechnics later with an unbeaten 111 off 108 balls, his 20th ODI century and his composed innings anchoring the English reply through the middle overs. Root found an ideal partner in Jacob Bethell, whose enterprising 65 off 72 balls steadied the ship with a crucial 126-run third-wicket stand. But it was Brook's onslaught that transformed a competitive total into an imposing fortress and ultimately out of Sri Lanka's reach, who mounted a spirited response in the second half.
The all-Yorkshire pair of Brook and Root added an unbroken 191-run stand for the fourth wicket, with Brook taking center stage during the final ten overs. After Bethell holed out to deep midwicket off Jeffrey Vandersay, Brook exploded into overdrive. He reached his fifty off just 40 balls, then accelerated dramatically, bringing up his hundred off a mere 57 deliveries. The final ten overs yielded a scarcely believable 130 runs, with Brook getting to his third ODI ton off just 57 balls, marking the feat by clanking an imaginary glass, perhaps a gesture about the recent 'drinking controversy' around him.
England had gone past 300 in an ODI for only the first time in Sri Lanka and that forced the hosts to begin their response with uncharacteristic aggression, throwing caution to the wind. Pathum Nissanka blazed to a 24-ball half-century, peppering eight boundaries (three sixes) with imperious strokeplay. Kamil Mishara joined the assault with a breezy 22 off 17, and when Kusal Mendis added a quickfire 20 off just 9 balls, the hosts raced to 85/1 in under eight overs. The dismissals of Mendis and Nissanka in quick succession, both to an otherwise expensive Jamie Overton, set them back even if the run-rate was in manageable zone.
First, Overton had Mendis drilling a catch straight to mid-off, before Nissanka holed out to deep midwicket attempting one heave too many. At 94/3, the responsibility fell squarely on the middle order. Pavan Rathnayake rose to the occasion magnificently, playing a lone hand with a battling 121 off 115 balls. His innings was a clinic in modern middle-overs ODI batting, as he held one end while also stroking 12 boundaries and a six through the knock.
Janith Liyanage provided brief support with 22, while Dunith Wellalage's attacking 22 off 24 kept the rate ticking before he top-edged Liam Dawson to point.
Despite Rathnayake's heroics, England's spinners maintained stranglehold on the middle overs. Will Jacks struck twice, including the crucial wicket of Dhananjaya de Silva caught at midwicket, while Adil Rashid's guile accounted for both Asalanka and Hasaranga. Dawson also picked up two wickets, including Wellalage's dismissal at a critical juncture.
The asking rate climbed steadily past ten an over as wickets fell at regular intervals. Sam Curran delivered the final blow, yorking Rathnayake through his legs as the batsman swung across the line, to seal a 2-1 series victory for the visitors. The defeat marked a significant low for Sri Lanka, who lost a bilateral ODI series at home for the first time in five years - a stark reminder of the work needed ahead. For England, it was a watershed moment, ending a three-year drought for overseas bilateral ODI series victories and signaling a potential resurgence in their white-ball fortunes under Brook's aggressive leadership.
Brief scores: England 357/3 in 50 overs (Harry Brook 136*, Joe Root 111*; Wanindu Hasaranga 1-76) beat Sri Lanka 304 in 46.4 overs (Pavan Rathnayake 121, Pathum Nissanka 50; Liam Dawson 2-48) by 53 runs
