ENG vs SL:Cricket offers hundreds of examples of how a single incident can alter the course of a match. In the 2024 T20 World Cup final, a minor injury sustained by wicketkeeper Rishabh Pant actually worked to India's advantage; however, that was a rare instance.
Often, an injury to a player spells trouble for their team. England faced a similar situation when Jos Buttler was injured against Sri Lanka, causing their campaign to go off track. Sri Lanka went on to win that match by 16 runs.
Captain Mendis Plays a Memorable Innings
The second match of the ODI series was played on Thursday, September 24, at Headingley Cricket Ground in Leeds. Throughout the tour, Sri Lanka had suffered four consecutive defeats including three straight T20 losses and the first ODI match.
This marked England's fourth consecutive ODI defeat at Headingley. However, this time, the team led by Kusal Mendis secured their first victory of the tour, driven by a magnificent century from the captain himself.
Batting at number three, Kusal Mendis played a magnificent innings of 121 runs off just 100 balls (featuring 14 fours and 3 sixes), propelling Sri Lanka to a strong total of 321. This marked the seventh ODI century of Mendis's career and his first century in any format outside Sri Lanka since October 2023.
He received valuable support from Kamindu Mendis (54) and Pawan Rathnayake (48), while Janith Liyanage (32) also scored quickly to help Sri Lanka reach this total. For England, Gus Atkinson and Rehan Ahmed claimed two wickets each.
How the match turned after an explosive start
Given the manner in which England’s innings began, it was hard to believe the match would end in a defeat for the team. Tom Banton (73) and Ben Duckett (67) got off to an explosive start, stitching together a partnership of over 140 runs in just 20 overs.
However, four batsmen including both openers and the in-form Joe Root—fell within the span of just 60 runs. Young spinner Dunith Wellalage claimed three of these wickets. Meanwhile, Jos Buttler continued his aggressive assault, bringing up his half-century in just 36 balls.
As long as Buttler was at the crease, England appeared to be cruising towards victory. But then came the moment that changed the course of the match: following the third ball of the 38th over, Buttler retired hurt. At that stage, England’s score stood at 254/4; they needed 66 runs off the remaining 12.3 overs (75 balls).
From that point on, the Sri Lankan bowlers set a trap that ensnared the English batsmen. Buttler (69 runs; 5 fours, 5 sixes) returned to bat in the 49th over but could not save the team, and England finished on 305 runs in their 50 overs. In those final 12.3 overs, the English batsmen managed to hit only two boundaries.
