Third one-day international, R Premadasa Stadium, Colombo
England 357-3 (50 overs): Brook 136* (66), Root 111* (108), Bethell 65 (72)
Sri Lanka 304 (46.4 overs): Rathnayake 121 (115), Nissanka 50 (25); Jacks 2-43
England won by 53 runs; win three-match series 2-1
Joe Root and Harry Brook hit hugely contrasting, but equally brilliant, unbeaten centuries as England beat Sri Lanka by 53 runs to clinch a one-day international series win.
After a slow start from England, Root was a picture of calm on his way to a 20th ODI century, sharing a stand of 126 with Jacob Bethell, before Brook joined him in the 32nd over.
Just as Root brought up an elegant run-a-ball century, Brook kicked into gear and produced an astonishing onslaught to reach his hundred from 57 balls.
An unbroken stand of 191 took England to a commanding 357-3, comfortably their highest ODI total in Sri Lanka, with captain Brook finishing on an ODI best 136 and Root on 111.
Upon reaching three figures, Brook, who was fined after an altercation with a nightclub bouncer in New Zealand last year, celebrated in the style of WWE wrestler Steve ‘Stone Cold’ Austin, who would regularly smash two cans of beer together in the ring before drinking them.
The tourists were given a scare as Sri Lanka exploded out of the blocks in the chase, hammering 104 runs in the powerplay, albeit for the loss of three wickets.
Opener Pathum Nissanka got to 50 from 24 balls but picked out the fielder in the deep from his 25th and England gradually clawed the hosts back.
After low-scoring affairs in the first two matches of the series, the pitch in Colombo proved much better for batting but did slow up and offer more turn as the chase went on.
Pavan Rathnayake did his best to keep the hosts in contention with a fine maiden international hundred, from 104 balls, but if his was the Root-like knock, Sri Lanka found no Brook equivalent.
As wickets tumbled at the other end, Rathnayake attempted to cut loose after reaching his ton but he was the last man out, bowled by Sam Curran for 121 in the 47th over.
Victory sees England end Sri Lanka’s 12-series unbeaten run on home soil in the 50-over format and eases any lingering concerns that they may have to go through qualifying to reach the 2027 World Cup.
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