Archive January 27, 2026

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.

The two centuries could hardly have been more different.

Root all touch and timing, getting the tempo of his innings just right, on a low, slow turner.

He set the platform from which England could launch, and launch – time and again – Brook did.

For a team who have struggled so much in the format in recent times, this was something approaching a perfectly constructed 50-over innings with the two Yorkshiremen leading the way.

For much of the innings, batting looked tricky. Patience was the name of the game for England after Ben Duckett and Rehan Ahmed lost theirs, but Root produced a masterclass in it.

There was never any sense of panic in his flawless knock. There were 58 singles in his innings as he rotated the strike at will, finding the gaps, manipulating the field – this isn’t the exciting stuff but it is bedrock of what makes Root great.

Sri Lanka could not put him under any pressure as he scored freely off both front foot and back, and either side of the wicket, with nine boundaries and a six in his 108-ball knock.

It meant Brook had the freedom to take his time and adapt to conditions initially before rapidly moving through the gears.

He brought up his half-century from 40 balls with a six, going inside-out over extra cover. Seventeen deliveries later, he was celebrating his century.

Sri Lanka’s bowlers had no answer as Brook switched seamlessly between dancing down the track and going deep in his crease.

Whichever option he chose, the ball invariably flew to – or over – the boundary.

In total, Brook struck 11 fours and nine sixes in a timely reminder of his supreme natural talent.

Sri Lanka knew it was going to take a staggering effort to chase down 358 – it would have been not only a record chase at the R Premadasa Stadium but their highest successful chase in ODI cricket.

The first ball of the replay showed just how fine the margins were for Charith Asalanka’s men.

Nissanka showed his intent as he took on a short ball from Jamie Overton but almost picked out mid-wicket, where Ben Duckett flung himself into the air and nearly took a stunning catch.

Sri Lanka had to be aggressive, put the pressure on the England bowlers but not make mistakes.

A tough ask but they gave it a good go with Nissanka and Kamil Mishara getting them off to a flyer, and Kusal Mendis briefly joining the fun as well.

But by the time the powerplay was over, all three had fallen.

England’s bowlers held firm and when Adil Rashid removed Asalanka in the 15th over, they were able to settle things down.

The pitch began to slow and take more spin with England’s bowlers finding 3.7 degrees of turn, more than 40% more than the 2.6 degrees their Sri Lankan counterparts managed in the first innings.

Spinners Rashid, Liam Dawson and Will Jacks took two wickets each as the bowlers took control and managed to put the pressure back on the Sri Lanka batters.

Rathnayake did well to withstand the pressure and keep the scoreboard moving but, ultimately, he was left with too much to do.

England’s prop problems continue to mount in the run-up to the Six Nations with Harlequins’ Fin Baxter ruled out of the tournament.

The 23-year-old has featured in England’s last 18 matches, but surgery on a foot injury has ended his hopes of continuing that run.

Baxter was named among five England players rehabilitating alongside the main 36-strong Six Nations squad on Friday.

With Ellis Genge backed up by Bevan Rodd and Emmanuel Iyogun on the loose-head side, there will be no replacement called up for Baxter.

However, Rodd has made only two appearances for England since the 2023 Rugby World Cup, while Iyogun is yet to win his first cap.

England have already lost Will Stuart and Asher Opoku-Fordjour for the Six Nations leaving Vilikesa ‘Billy’ Sela and Trevor Davison, who have three caps between them, as understudies to Joe Heyes at tight-head.

Flanker Ben Curry, who was also set to travel to Girona to continue his recovery from injury, has been sent back to Sale to rehabilitate with Harlequins’ Jack Kenningham called up to the squad.

West Ham are set to sign Fulham winger Adama Traore on a permanent deal, with the move subject to a medical.

The 30‑year‑old is close to a reported £2m switch from west to east London, where he will be reunited with Nuno Espirito Santo, who managed him at Wolves.

Capped eight times by Spain, Traore has made just two Premier League starts for Fulham this season and was not involved in their most recent 2–1 win at home to Brighton on Saturday.

Having started his career at Barcelona, Traore had spells at Aston Villa, Middlesbrough and Wolves before joining Fulham in 2023 on a free transfer.

West Ham have been among the most active teams in the January transfer window, signing forwards Pablo Felipe from Gil Vicente for £20m and Taty Castellanos from Lazio for £25.2m.

They are also in talks to sell midfielder Lucas Paqueta to Flamengo, having already sold Guido Rodriguez to Valencia and Luis Guilherme to Sporting, while German Niclas Fullkrug has joined AC Milan on loan.

West Ham are set to sign Fulham winger Adama Traore on a permanent deal, with the move subject to a medical.

The 30‑year‑old is close to a reported £2m switch from west to east London, where he will be reunited with Nuno Espirito Santo, who managed him at Wolves.

Capped eight times by Spain, Traore has made just two Premier League starts for Fulham this season and was not involved in their most recent 2–1 win at home to Brighton on Saturday.

Having started his career at Barcelona, Traore had spells at Aston Villa, Middlesbrough and Wolves before joining Fulham in 2023 on a free transfer.

West Ham have been among the most active teams in the January transfer window, signing forwards Pablo Felipe from Gil Vicente for £20m and Taty Castellanos from Lazio for £25.2m.

They are also in talks to sell midfielder Lucas Paqueta to Flamengo, having already sold Guido Rodriguez to Valencia and Luis Guilherme to Sporting, while German Niclas Fullkrug has joined AC Milan on loan.

Great Britain’s David Weir says he will do “all I can” to stop Swiss great Marcel Hug equalling his record tally of eight London Marathon wins after both athletes were confirmed for this year’s race.

World record holder Hug, a three-time Paralympic Games marathon gold medallist, will bid to win the London Marathon for a sixth consecutive year on Sunday, 26 April.

The 46-year-old Weir, who achieved his most recent victory in London in 2018, said: “Marcel is an incredible athlete operating at the peak of his powers.

The announcement of the elite wheelchair fields at the 2026 London Marathon followed Monday’s unveiling of the elite British men and women participants.

Weir will be joined by fellow Britons Sean Frame, Simon Lawson, Nathan Maguire, Michael McCabe and Johnboy Smith in the men’s wheelchair race.

Eden Rainbow-Cooper competes in the women’s event, alongside another dominant Swiss athlete in Catherine Debrunner, winner of the past two London Marathons.

The London Marathon became the first marathon to award equal prize money to wheelchair and non-disabled elite athletes in 2024.

Hug, the course record holder in London, said: “For me, it is more than a race. It is an organisation that has done so much to put wheelchair racing and us, as athletes, at the very heart of the event.

“It is for this reason that I am proud to have enjoyed the success I have here, and to be one win away from a legend like David Weir is incredible.”

The 40-year-old and Weir are long-time rivals, and the Briton finished runner-up to Switzerland’s Hug in their most recent head-to-head at last year’s New York City Marathon.

Weir’s eight London victories span 16 years, with his first coming in 2002. He finished sixth last year.