Call it a last over Jamie Overton meltdown or a Kusal Mendis masterclass, but Sri Lanka amassing a solid 271/6 on Colombo’s unpredictable bowling pitch in the first of three ODIs against England was a fascinating watch.
The R. Premadasa Stadium was never gonna be a high-scoring pitch. With the day-night format and the slow setting of dew as we approach dusk time, the Lankans knew they had to get a solid target on the board to avoid the start of yet another potential whitewash. And that, they did.
Pathum Nissanka and Kamil Mishara started off sensible, knocking the ball in and around the park to get a few singles and a few boundaries and set their partnership in the innings. But that 50-run partnership came to an anti-climatic end after Sam Curran’s moon ball did the job yet again, forcing Nissanka to hamper a shot straight to Liam Dawson standing at mid-wicket.
Kusal Mendis’ 93* Terrorises England Bowlers
Enter: Kusal Mendis. The Sri Lankan hero. Oozed class from his first breath on the pitch, and more importantly, frustrated the English bowlers to within an inch of their lives. Watching his 88-run partnership with Janith Liyanage was absolute cinema, and that brought their total to 212 before Liyanage’s desperate attempt at a boundary was caught and bowled by Adil Rashid, who himself recorded a fantastic 3/44 in 10 overs.
Mendis watched as every other batsman had their promised 10-minute cameos one-by-one, biding his time and waiting to pounce at the right moment. It genuinely seemed as if Rashid and Dawson had Lankan numbers down better than their local phonebook. But Dunith Wellalage had other plans.
Yep, he had Overton’s number, that too with 5G connection. That last over alone went for a ridiculous 23 runs, as much as the previous four overs combined. Three 4s, two 6s, and an Over-ton of embarassment. The fans wanted a Mendis century, but even Kusal himself showed pride for his 23-year-old partner in crime. That brought their total to a very defendable 271/6, passing the helmet over to the Three Lions for their innings.
Death Overs Collapse Sets Up Intriguing England Chase
You can expect the dew to set in halfway through the innings under the floodlights. That dew will make it harder for the bowlers to grip the softer ball, making the run chase a much easier watch for English eyes. But history isn’t on England’s side, contrary to what colonial overlords worked to provide for them.
Since 2023, they’ve only won one game in eight attempts to chase down a target in Asian countries, including the 2023 Cricket World Cup and 2025 ICC Champions Trophy. That prospect is almost too good a watch to turn down. They need a whitewash on Sri Lankan soil for a valuable three ranking points – something that will be instrumental in their qualification bids for the 2027 Cricket World Cup in South Africa and Zimbabwe. The Lankan Lions against the Three Lions in the first ODI – who is your winner?
