The left-arm pace all-rounder of the England side, Sam Curran, has been in superb touch during the T20 format, having won the International League T20 (ILT20) for the Desert Vipers and made a vital contribution for the Sydney Sixers. He picked up seven wickets for the Vipers in 11 innings at an economy rate of 8.51, and had five wickets at 19.20 in the BBL. 

Turning up for the England side during the opening T20I against Sri Lanka at the Pallekele International Cricket Stadium in Kandy, Sri Lanka, smashed the left-arm pacer for 33 runs in two overs with a flurry of boundaries before Curran marked a special return with a hat-trick, which went viral around the social media platforms.

See Also: Watch: Pakistan reaches out to USA to complain on BCCI power in cricket ahead of T20 World Cup 2026 

On the fourth ball of the 16th over, he sent back the opposition captain, Dasun Shanaka, for 20 runs in 16 balls. He went for the yorker but hasn’t been able to nail it. But it was full enough to stop the batters from getting under it, as Shanaka didn’t get the full elevation and was taken by Harry Brook.

Sam Curran celebrates T20I hat-trick vs Sri Lanka in Pallekele 

The very next delivery was another slower one to which Maheesh Theekshana, on a first-ball duck, chipped the bowler down the ground as Jamie Overton took the simplest of catches at long-on region. That brought the bowler a chance of celebrating a hat-trick.

Watch the video here: 

SAM CURRAN TOOK A HATTRICK IN THE T20I AGAINST SRI LANKA. 🔥pic.twitter.com/kS2rcVATnr

— Mufaddal Vohra (@mufaddal_vohra) January 30, 2026

The sixth and final delivery of the 16th over was a great delivery that broke the stumps of Matheesha Pathirana for another first-ball duck. This time, the bowler was able to nail the yorker on the off-stump from round the wicket, as Pathirana swung hard and got the off-stump for a beating. Sri Lanka were bundled out for 133 runs in 16.2 overs as Curran finished with figures of 3/19 in his four overs.

In reply, England went off to a flying start in the chase with 36 runs coming in less than three overs. Phil Salt smashed 42 runs in 30 balls while Tom Banton contributed 29 runs in just 15 balls. Pathirana was excellent and seemed to be back in his prime.

Brief Scores: England 125/4 (Phil Salt 46, Tom Banton 29, Eshan Malinga 2/24) beat Sri Lanka 133 (Kushal Mendis 37, Adil Rashid 3/19) by 11 runs (DLS). 

Sri Lankan cricketer Pavan Rathnayake made his international debut through his first ODI match against England at R. Premadasa Stadium. The 23-year-old batsman demonstrated exceptional maturity during his chase of 358 runs by scoring 121 runs at the match. 

Young batter stands tall after early collapse

Sri Lanka faced a challenging start to their innings after Harry Brook and Joe Root scored centuries which set a massive target for them. Rathnayake walked in with the game slipping away but responded with calm intent, rebuilding the innings through the middle overs. He used intelligent methods to change the batting order while he selected specific times to make aggressive plays which kept his team from falling behind their target. 

Rathnayake reached his century mark during the 43rd over when he scored his first run which made him smile with happiness for this special moment that happened in his fourth ODI match. His century came off 104 balls and stood out for its maturity rather than reckless strokeplay.

ALSO SEE: Watch: Harry Brook mimics Stone Cold Steve Austin celebration after century in SL vs ENG 3rd ODI

Who is Pavan Rathnayake?

Rathnayake is a batter who uses his left hand for batting while he demonstrates bowling skills through his ability to bowl both off-break and leg-break deliveries. The player had scored a total of 73 runs from three One Day International matches before this match but his domestic List A statistics showed that he possessed greater batting potential. The player achieved his seventh One Day International century with this performance which resulted in him crossing 2.600 List A career runs.

The young batsman stood out as the top performer for Sri Lanka despite the team being bowled out for 304 and Rathnayake getting out to Sam Curran while England won the match by 53 runs. His performance under difficult circumstances demonstrated his ability to succeed in future endeavors while he showed potential to become a regular player for Sri Lankas One Day International team.

England skipper Harry Brook delivered a breathtaking performance in the third and deciding ODI against Sri Lanka in Colombo, producing one of the finest knocks of his young one-day career. In a high-stakes encounter with the series on the line, Brook rose to the occasion with a brutal display of power-hitting that left the hosts reeling.

Batting first, England were already in a solid position at 166/3 when Brook walked out to the middle, joining an in-form Joe Root. What followed was a masterclass in controlled aggression. The pair stitched together a commanding 191-run partnership, but it was Brook who took on the role of chief aggressor, completely dictating the tempo of the innings.

Brook’s 57-ball century powers England to a series-deciding win

Brook accelerated effortlessly, targeting both pace and spin with equal confidence. As the innings progressed, he shifted through the gears with ease, launching Sri Lanka’s bowlers into the stands and piercing the gaps with precision. His century came up in just 57 balls, underlining the ferocity of his approach. By the time the innings ended, Brook had raced to an unbeaten 136 off only 66 deliveries, smashing nine sixes and 11 fours.

ALSO SEE: The Hundred 2026: Schedule, Auction, Teams, Format, Venue - All you need to know

His onslaught powered England to a formidable total of 357/3, a score that effectively put the contest beyond Sri Lanka. It was Brook’s third ODI hundred, and it could not have come at a more crucial moment. The knock also marked his career-best score in the format.

From a statistical perspective, Brook’s numbers continue to impress. In 38 ODIs, he has now scored 1,354 runs at an average of 39.82, striking at a rapid 105.28. Playing his maiden ODI series against Sri Lanka, Brook finished as England’s leading contributor with 192 runs.

The innings was historic as well. Brook’s 57-ball hundred stands as the fourth-fastest ODI century against Sri Lanka and the joint-sixth fastest by an England batter, placing him alongside Eoin Morgan. It was a knock that showcased Brook’s growing stature as England’s go-to match-winner in white-ball cricket.

England continued to experience a decline in one-day international cricket during their first match against Sri Lanka which resulted in a 19-run loss at Colombo and gave the host team an early victory in the series. 

England maintained control of the match during their chase of 272 according to their performance during the match. A 117-run partnership between Ben Duckett and Joe Root brought England to 129 for 1 after 27 overs because both batters showed equal skill against spin and pace bowling. Sri Lanka achieved a game-changing moment when they managed to execute two wickets within a brief time period.

The double lbw decisions against Duckett and Root initiated a typical English batting collapse. The visitors lost their advantage to reach 252 all out after their batsmen lost five wickets within 35 runs. Sri Lanka’s spinners tightened their control over the game, which resulted in Harry Brook, Jacob Bethell and Sam Curran being dismissed for low scores.

Mendis’ masterclass and Rashid’s effort underline England’s growing ODI concerns

Jamie Overton provided a late fightback, which he achieved through his 34 runs off 17 balls to create short-lived hopes. Rehan Ahmed made a valuable contribution through his energetic performance.England could not succeed because they had to complete an excessive amount of work before the end of the game.

ALSO SEE: Watch: Shubman Gill’s Ranji Trophy return ends in a two-ball duck out

Kusal Mendis who made 93 not out, led Sri Lanka through their innings, which resulted in 271 for 6. His batting performance proved crucial because the pitch conditions required players to show restraint. Adil Rashid emerged as the top English bowler by achieving 3 for 44 bowling performance.

England has continued their streak of poor ODI results since they have lost 11 of their previous 15 matches. The second ODI match on Saturday must become a victory for the team because they already face challenges about World Cup qualification.

England tour of Sri Lanka – Schedule and results

The England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) has confirmed their white-ball trip to Sri Lanka in the lead-up to the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026 in India and Sri Lanka. The tour will consist of three 50-over clashes and as many T20Is from January 22, as the aim for the two-time champions will be to prepare their best to earn their third title.

England won their first two trophies of the event in 2009 and 2022, as most of their players will look to earn the best experience on the subcontinental conditions. The series will mark the Harry Brook-led side’s first-white-ball trip in more than seven years, with the last visit coming in 2018 when they clinched the ODI series by 3-1 and won the lone T20I.

See Also: Sachin Tendulkar joins new partnership as 'ask me anything' session scheduled on this date

The last fixture between these two sides during the shortest format came during the victorious 2022 T20 World Cup event, where they beat Sri Lanka by four wickets in their group-stage clash. The Asian team’s upcoming T20I series comes against Zimbabwe away from home in September.

England to tour Sri Lanka for white-ball series in January 2026

The new white-ball captain of the Three Lions, Harry Brook, has shed light on his appointment to the position: “I am looking forward to getting started, moving us forward, and working towards winning series, World Cups, and major events for the future. England will also end their ongoing home summer with a white-ball series during the second week of September in Cardiff.

It's a hard reality for the players. The first ODI of the Sri Lanka trip starts just a couple of weeks after the scheduled fifth day of the fifth Ashes 2025/26 Test in Sydney. Most of their players will be drained after seven weeks of red-ball fixtures down under.

That could give some chances to the new players to get settled comfortably. However, most of the top World Cup players are expected to arrive in Sri Lanka for the three T20Is as preparation.

England’s white-ball series to Sri Lanka in 2026