Sri Lanka vs England, 1st ODI Colombo, Jan 22 2026 – Mendis and Wellalage Shine

On January 22, 2026, Sri Lanka played a solid game and beat England by 19 runs in the first ODI at the R Premadasa Stadium in Colombo. Kusal Mendis really held the innings together with a fantastic 93 not out, and Janith Liyanage chipped in with 46 runs. Dunith Wellalage finished strong with a quick 25 not out off just 12 balls. He also grabbed two important wickets, which got him the Player of the Match award. Sri Lanka put up a good score of 271/6 in their 50 overs.

Even with Ben Duckett (62) and Joe Root (61) putting up a fight, England couldn’t quite make it, ending up at 252/10 in 49.2 overs. Sri Lanka’s spin attack, with Dhananjaya de Silva, Jeffrey Vandersay, Wellalage, and Janith Liyanage, was just too much for England on the slow, spinning Colombo pitch.

Kusal Mendis was the guy!

Kusal Mendis was so calm and made great shot choices, playing a smart innings when the pressure was on. He made 93 runs off 117 balls, hitting 11 boundaries. Mendis was careful at first, not scoring on 12 balls early on, but he soon got into a groove. He took advantage of gaps and punished any bad balls. His partnership with Janith Liyanage added 88 important runs for the fifth wicket, which helped steady the innings after Pathum Nissanka and Kamil Mishara got out early.

Mendis showed both skill and patience, proving why he’s still one of Sri Lanka’s most dependable batsmen in ODI cricket. He kept the score ticking over, built partnerships, and helped Sri Lanka recover from a shaky start and post a score that they could defend.

Dunith Wellalage was the hero with bat and ball!

Dunith Wellalage really stole the show with his all-around play. His 25 not out off 12 balls helped Sri Lanka get some quick runs at the end, pushing the total to 271. Wellalage was also great with the ball, taking 2 wickets for 41 runs and breaking up key England partnerships when it mattered most. He even took three catches, including an amazing one to get rid of Jacob Bethell near the end.

Wellalage’s performance shows how important he is becoming in the Sri Lankan ODI team. He can do it all – bat, bowl, and field – which gives the team more depth and balance.

England struggled against spin

England’s batsmen had a tough time against Sri Lanka’s spinners on the slow Khettarama pitch. Adil Rashid bowled well for England, taking 3/44, but the Sri Lankan spinners kept the pressure on. Dhananjaya de Silva, Jeffrey Vandersay, and Wellalage took six wickets between them, keeping the pressure on and forcing England to make mistakes.

Duckett and Root had a good partnership, scoring 100 runs for the second wicket, but England couldn’t keep up with the required run rate, falling behind in the middle overs. Important wickets fell, like Duckett’s attempted reverse sweep and Root’s lbw decision that was overturned by DRS, which really slowed them down.

England’s late push wasn’t enough

Jamie Overton tried to save the day with a quick 34 runs off 17 balls, but it was too little, too late. England needed 20 runs from the last over, but Overton couldn’t do it. He turned down a single on the first ball and then got out on the second. Sri Lanka’s spinners, with some smart field placements and good bowling, kept England in check.

Pramod Madushan’s 3/39 from 5.2 overs was key to stopping England’s late charge and sealing the 19-run win.

Key partnerships and moments

For Sri Lanka, the partnerships between Kusal Mendis and Janith Liyanage, and then Wellalage, were important in getting them to a defendable total. For England, the second-wicket partnership between Duckett and Root was crucial, but they couldn’t handle Sri Lanka’s spin attack, and the rising run rate put too much pressure on them.

Getting Duckett and Root out in the middle overs was the turning point. Wellalage and Vandersay bowled really well, forcing mistakes and breaking the back of England’s chase.

Talking points

The match was pretty clean, but the use of DRS was a big talking point. Joe Root’s lbw dismissal being upheld changed the game for England. Sri Lanka’s clever use of spinners showed how strong they are in these conditions.

Kusal Mendis’ 93* and Dunith Wellalage’s all-around game were the standout performances. For England, the century partnership between Duckett and Root showed they can fight, but they need to figure out how to play spin better for the rest of the series.

What I think:

Sri Lanka played some classic subcontinental cricket against England, using spin and steady batting to grab a win. Kusal Mendis totally nailed his innings, building a great ODI score while under pressure. And Wellalage? He showed how valuable those all-rounder types are in today’s game.

England’s batting plan seemed off, mostly against the spin. Except for Duckett and Root, the top guys couldn’t get used to it. That shows how hard it can be for Bazball teams in the subcontinent. Jamie Overton gave it a good shot late in the game, but the middle order fell apart when they needed to score faster.

Looking forward, Sri Lanka will probably keep taking advantage of those spin-friendly pitches in the remaining ODIs. Keep an eye on Mendis and Wellalage. Mendis could score a ton in the next ODI, and Wellalage could add some important runs and wickets from lower down the order.

England needs to tweak things. Duckett and Root need some backup from the middle order, and they’ve got to figure out how to play on those slower pitches. If they don’t, Sri Lanka could run away with the series, making it super tough for England.

What to expect in the next matches:

In the second ODI, expect Sri Lanka’s spinners to keep dominating. Kusal Mendis will likely hold down the innings again, with teammates Janith Liyanage and Dunith Wellalage trying to whack it in the middle and at the end. England will probably focus on sweeping to deal with the spin and having Overton and Bethell crank up the scoring later on.

If England doesn’t adapt to the pitch, Sri Lanka could go up 2-0. Guys like Wellalage and Vandersay might keep making big plays with the ball. Mendis is in form and seems calm, so he could score a century and prove he’s a key player for Sri Lanka in ODIs.

Last thoughts:

That first ODI between Sri Lanka and England in Colombo showed how important it is to be good at spin in the subcontinent. Sri Lanka was patient with their batting and smart with their spin bowling, which helped them get a well-deserved win by 19 runs. England had some good moments with Duckett and Root, but they just couldn’t handle the spin. It was a reminder of how valuable all-rounders and clever bowlers are in ODI cricket, which should make for a good series.