Match overview
England beat Sri Lanka by 5 wickets in the ODI at R. Premadasa Stadium, Colombo on 24 January 2026. Sri Lanka won the toss, batted first, and were bowled out for 219. England chased it down with 223/5, Joe Root named Player of the Match for his contributions in the middle order. The result extended England's unbeaten run against Sri Lanka to five consecutive ODIs in 2026, all played across Pallekele and Colombo.
Sri Lanka's innings was built in the middle overs, where they scored 137 runs for 4 wickets between overs 11 and 40. The problem came at the death. Five wickets fell for just 46 runs in the final phase, which cost them the chance to set a more challenging total. 219 was a score England were always capable of chasing at this venue, even accounting for its historically balanced conditions.
England's reply was measured rather than aggressive. The powerplay produced 52/1, above the ground's average of 46, and that early momentum took the pressure off the middle overs. From overs 11 to 40, England added 126 runs for 2 wickets. They crossed the line at 223/5, with the result settled comfortably before it reached the final over.
Venue and conditions
R. Premadasa Stadium has hosted 176 ODIs, making it one of the most data-rich venues in Asian cricket. The average first-innings score is 189, and the average second-innings score drops to 161, suggesting that chasing sides typically find scoring harder as the match progresses. Sri Lanka's 219 was meaningfully above the batting-first average, which reflects well on their middle-overs phase even if the death let them down.
The venue's average powerplay runs are 46, so England's 52 in the powerplay was a positive sign. Death-overs scoring averages 35 across the ground's history; both teams exceeded that in this match, which produced a slightly higher-scoring encounter overall. The toss-win-field rate is just 34 per cent here, meaning captains who win the toss tend to bat first, and Sri Lanka followed that pattern.
Chase success at Premadasa sits at 48 per cent across ODI history. England bucked that trend here, as they have done throughout the tour.
How to watch
In the UK, England's tours are typically broadcast on Sky Sports Cricket, with streaming available via Sky Go and NOW TV. Sri Lanka fixtures fall in the morning for UK viewers given the four-and-a-half-hour time difference, so start times around 09:30 GMT are standard for day matches in Colombo.
For those without a Sky subscription, the England and Wales Cricket Board's website and app carry some coverage options, and BBC Radio's Test Match Special may carry commentary for certain fixtures in the series. Check broadcaster schedules for the remaining matches in this tour.
Recent form
Sri Lanka came into this match with a mixed recent record. They had beaten England earlier in 2026 and recorded two wins against Pakistan, but had also lost three of their last five ODIs. That inconsistency showed in the final phases of their batting: capable of building a platform, but prone to late collapses under pressure.
England's recent form is more complicated. Outside of this series, they lost four of their last five ODIs, including three defeats to Australia in 2025. Against Sri Lanka specifically, though, they have been the sharper side throughout 2026. Five straight wins in the series suggests England have found something in these conditions that their wider tour form does not fully reflect, and Root's Player of the Match award here underlines that the improvement has been consistent rather than accidental. The sides may yet meet again if this tour extends to further fixtures, and Sri Lanka will need to find an answer to England's chase management if the pattern is to change.
