RESULT3rd ODI • ENG vs SL

Winner
355/7

29.1/50 ov, T:356132
England won by 223 runs
3rd ODI, The Oval, September 27, 2026, Sri Lanka tour of England
Player of the Match

Tom Banton
ENG
126 (105)
Scorecard Summary
England1st Innings
355/7
(50 Ov)
126 (105)
Asitha Fernando3/64 (9)
Most Valuable Players (Impact)
| Rank | Player | TI | Bat | Bowl |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Tom BantonENG | 172 | 172 | 0 |
| 2 | Harry BrookENG | 91 | 91 | 0 |
| 3 | Jordan CoxENG | 91 | 91 | 0 |
| 4 | 63 | 0 | 62 | |
| 5 | Gus AtkinsonENG | 58 | 0 | 58 |
Match Report
5.30pm: Okay, folks. That was the summer of cricket that was. England began it trying to rebuild following the Ashes (and a T20 World Cup semi-final), then eventually picked their way out of the rubble with a new Test coach and renewed vigour in the white-ball set-up. As for today, Fidel's report should be your next port of call, plus Matt's explainer on that Rathnayake dismissal - and then stick around for more (or go and check out results elsewhere in Trivandrum and Jo'burg). From myself and Miller, Harshith and the scorers, and everyone who's chipped in over the summer, it's goodbye for now. We'll be back at it in about three weeks when England pitch up in Pakistan to play Sri Lanka again in a tri-series. Bye!
5.10pm: Time for the presentations at T'Oval, starting with England ODI Player of the Summer, Joe Root: "Looking forward to a couple of weeks before we get to Pakistan. Been a good one, improvising an learning all the time with a World Cup around the corner. [Format] I went a long time without playing it, so nice to get back in rhythm. Like where this team's heading and how we're building. Think we're trending in a really good way. [Contributions from elsewhere] Doesn't matter how you get there, it's getting there. Guys have stood up and showed the depth that's there and that's required with the amount of cricket we have."
Player of the Match is Tom Banton: "As a kid you dream of scoring a hundred for your country. To do it here in an important game was really special, had lots of friends and family here as well. [England career] Started well and then had a tough few years, so to come back now and put in a performance is really rewarding. [KP on coaching staff] Been good, bit nervous to begin with but played a round of golf with him and it's been good to chat, lots of banter and hopefully it continues. [Opening] I'm happy batting wherever, Beth's been injured and it's given me an opportunity but wherever I need to bat I'm happy."
Player of the Series is Will Jacks: [Back so soon after appendix out] "Was hoping so, as soon as I had surgery. Always very grateful to play for your country and for the series I've had. [Role with ball] Think everyday is different. Whatever I'm required to do, I've bowled a bit more this series. Might be different in Pakistan and Australia, but I'm happy with that. Assessing what the day requires, these pitches have been slow and spin conducive. Have to get better at adapting over the next 12 months and we'll be ready for anything at the World Cup."
Sri Lanka captain Kusal Mendis: "We played a couple of good games, but today we struggled batting. We dropped some catching, bad fielding [cost us]. The spinners bowled well but I wanted to try the fast bowlers [against Brook]. Played good cricket in the second game. We have to do it more and better, made too many mistakes."
England captain, Harry Brook: "Thought that was near perfect. Everyone chipped in beautifully. [Digging in at times in 50-overs] Little bit, there were some tough periods, overs when it was tough to get off strike. We knew we could catch up at the back end, that little cameo from Coxy was exceptional and then there was Bants, I'm really proud of the way he played. We want to adapt to conditions every game. We've seen it this series. That's the side we want to be, win when conditions aren't in our favour. [Selection headaches] Definitely good problem to gave. Building towards a squad where if someone does go down, someone else can come in and perform. With Daws coming in and picking up three wickets, you can see we're building towards that. [Next few weeks] Go away, train and get ready for a fairly long winter."
5pm: A comprehensive way to wrap things up, and the England players can all go and have a slice of Brendon McCullum's birthday cake. Their fifth-biggest winning margin (by runs) in ODIs, and an 11th victory out of 13 for Harry Brook's white-ball side during the home season. Despite this being the series decider, it was England's fringe players who formed the backbone of their performance, with Tom Banton making his first international hundred, Jordan Cox shining with bat and gloves in his fourth ODI appearance and Liam Dawson collecting his best figures in the format
Recent Commentary
29.1
W
Jacks to Malinga
swept... into the hands of leg slip! Nonchalantly held by Root down by his shins and that's it for the summer. England win by a massive margin of 223 runs and claim the series 2-1!
Over29
9 runs, 0 wickets
Need 224 from 126b
SL 132/9
CRR: 4.55RRR: 10.67
Madushanka2 (10b)
Malinga14 (18b)
Dawson8-0-26-3
28.6
0
Dawson to Madushanka
jabbed to point going back on off stump
28.5
0
Dawson to Madushanka
flatter, on a length, scuds into the front pad. England appeal but it looked leg-sided
28.4
1
Dawson to Malinga
tossed up straight and this is hacked into the leg side for a single
28.3
4
Dawson to Malinga
honked through extra cover! Flighted delivery, Malinga plants the front foot and mows it beyond even the reach of Overton for another boundary
28.2
4
Dawson to Malinga
flatter and wide of off, steered down through third and Jacks isn't too bothered about chasing it to the rope
28.1
0
Dawson to Malinga
Malinga advances, has a hack. Bobbles towards mid-off
Over28
3 runs, 0 wickets
Need 233 from 132b
SL 123/9
CRR: 4.39RRR: 10.59
Madushanka2 (8b)
Malinga5 (14b)
Jacks3-0-8-0
27.6
0
Jacks to Madushanka
tossed up and spinning into the front pad. Stifled appeal but doing too much
27.5
0
Jacks to Madushanka
jabbed away going back
27.4
0
Jacks to Madushanka
over the wicket, floated up and Madushanka gets across to defend
27.3
2
Jacks to Madushanka
fenced wide of slip, went pretty quickly to ground for a couple as backward point gives chase
27.2
1
Jacks to Malinga
full on the stumps, 47mph/75kph and Malinga heaves for the hills. Dribbles away through midwicket for one
27.1
0
Jacks to Malinga
round the wicket, floated up outside off. Swing and a miss
Over27
1 runs, 1 wicket
Need 236 from 138b
SL 120/9
CRR: 4.44RRR: 10.26
Madushanka0 (4b)
Malinga4 (12b)
Dawson7-0-17-3
26.6
0
Dawson to Madushanka
floated up around off stump, 51mph/82kph and defended on the front foot
26.5
0
Dawson to Madushanka
fires this one down wider and beats the bat. Almost draws him into overbalancing
26.4
0
Dawson to Madushanka
tossed up around off stump, blocked diligently
26.3
0
Dawson to Madushanka
defended propping forward on off
26.2
W
Dawson to Asitha Fernando
hoicked to mid-on! Asitha goes for that slog-sweep again but only managed to slam it into the big buckets of Overton on the edge of the ring. England one wicket away
26.2
1
Dawson to Asitha Fernando
zipped down behind the pads, Cox hoovers it up - but wide signalled
26.1
0
Dawson to Asitha Fernando
dollied up on off, defended
Match Details
Teams

Winner

Ground
Kennington Oval, London
Series
Sri Lanka tour of England
Season
2026
Hours of play (local time)
10.30 start, First Session 10.30-14.00, Interval 14.00-14.30, Second Session 14.30-18.00
Match days
27 September 2026 - day (ODI-over match)
Umpires
TV Umpire
Reserve Umpire
Match Referee

