Sri Lanka Triumphs Over England in Thrilling ODI Opener

Sri Lanka defeated England by 19 runs in Colombo. Choosing to bat first, Sri Lanka set a challenging score of 271-6, with Kusal Mendis remaining unbeaten on 93. England, recovering from their Ashes defeat, was bowled out for 252 despite a valiant late effort by Jamie Overton.

Sri Lanka clinched victory over England by 19 runs in an exhilarating opening one-day international match held in Colombo. Opting to bat first, Sri Lanka amassed a formidable total of 271-6, spearheaded by Kusal Mendis's unbeaten 93.

England, still nursing their wounds from a 4-1 Ashes setback in Australia, was bowled out for 252 in 49.2 overs at the R Premadasa Stadium. Despite Jamie Overton's aggressive 34 off 17 balls, England fell short. Initially, Sri Lanka started strong with a 50-run opening partnership between Pathum Nissanka and Kamil Mishara.

Sam Curran's dismissal of Nissanka for 21 disrupted the stand, while Adil Rashid (3-44) also made significant inroads. England's spinners contributed 33 overs in total. The chase saw a promising 117-run stand between Ben Duckett (62) and Joe Root (61), but quick dismissals led to a dramatic collapse.

(With inputs from agencies.)