COLOMBO, Sri Lanka (AP) — Sri Lanka won the toss and elected to bat in the first one-day international of the three-match series against England on Thursday.
England had to make a last-minute change as Will Jacks was ruled out due to illness and legpinner Rehan Ahmed replaced him in the playing XI. Ahmed will team up with another legspinner Adil Rashid with Jacob Bethell and Joe Root the other spin options for England.
England skipper Harry Brook said he would have liked to bat first, “but it is what it is." Brook believed Sri Lanka is a strong side in its own conditions and he was looking forward to the challenge.
Sri Lanka test captain Dhananjaya de Silva returns to ODIs since last playing the 50-over format in November 2023 while Wanindu Hasaranga misses out to focus on next month’s T20 World Cup to be jointly hosted by India and Sri Lanka.
“Looks a good pitch, want a good score on the board," Sri Lanka captain Charith Asalanka said at the toss while confirming that Hasaranga was rested for the World Cup.
Sri Lanka also went in with two specialist spinners Dunith Wellalage and Jeffery Vandersay in a hope the wicket will suit the slow bowlers. De Silva and Asalanka are the two off-spinners in hosts’ starting lineup.
It is the first international series for England since it lost the Ashes earlier this month in Australia.
Lineups:
Sri Lanka: Pathum Nissanka, Kamil Mishara, Kusal Mendis, Dhananjaya de Silva, Charith Asalanka (captain), Janith Liyanage, Pavan Ratnayake, Dunith Wellalage, Pramod Madushan, Jeffrey Vandersay, Asitha Fernando
England: Zak Crawley, Ben Duckett, Joe Root, Jacob Bethell, Harry Brook (captain), Jos Buttler, Sam Curran, Rehan Ahmed, Jamie Overton, Liam Dawson, Adil Rashid.
AP cricket: https://apnews.com/hub/cricket
Copyright 2026 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission.
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