England crush Sri Lanka by 68 runs in first ODI

DURHAM: England began their latest one-day campaign with an impressive 68-run victory over Sri Lanka, defending a total of 265 at the Riverside Ground in Durham on Wednesday.

The hosts bowled Sri Lanka out for 197, with Will Jacks producing a match-winning all-round display that gave England an early lead in the series.

Jacks first made an unbeaten 46 to help England post a competitive total before turning the game with the ball. The spinner claimed five wickets for just 22 runs, registering one of England’s most impressive ODI bowling performances in recent years.

His figures also rank as the second-best ODI bowling performance by an England spinner, according to the details reported by Express News.

Sri Lanka’s chase initially showed signs of promise, but England’s bowlers steadily tightened their grip as the innings progressed. Captain Kusal Mendis, returning to the side, scored 42, while Dunith Wellalage battled for 45.

However, Sri Lanka’s middle order struggled to withstand England’s bowling attack, eventually leaving the visitors 68 runs short of the target.

England’s batting innings was notable for another unusual statistic. The team did not hit a single six while scoring 265 runs, marking the first time since 2019 that England had failed to clear the boundary in an ODI after batting first.

Despite the lack of sixes, England built enough runs through conventional stroke play to establish a defendable total before their bowlers took control.

The victory further underlined England’s strong ODI form in 2026 under captain Harry Brook and head coach Brendon McCullum. The win was their fifth in seven one-day internationals this year.

England have already secured ODI series victories against Sri Lanka and India in 2026, and their latest success provides another positive start as they continue building momentum in the format.

For Sri Lanka, the defeat leaves them needing a response in the next match. Mendis’ return and Wellalage’s resistance offered some positives, but the team will need greater support from its middle order to challenge England in the remainder of the series.

With Jacks making the difference in both innings, England now head into the next game with a 1-0 series advantage.