England win toss and opt to bat in series-deciding Oval ODI against Sri Lanka
England win toss and opt to bat in series-deciding Oval ODI against Sri Lanka
England captain Harry Brook won the toss and elected to bat first as the three-match series against Sri Lanka reached a decider at the Kennington Oval on Sunday. The contest is finely poised at 1-1, with the visitors chasing their first ODI series win on English soil since 2014.
Series on the line at The Oval
With the series level, Sri Lanka have the chance to register a historic series triumph in England for the first time since 2014, while England will lean on their strong home white-ball record to close the contest on a winning note. The Oval is generally regarded as a good venue for strokeplay, raising the prospect of another high-scoring encounter.
England forced into three changes
England were compelled into a wicketkeeping change after Jos Buttler picked up a hamstring injury in the second ODI. Buttler returned to the field despite the problem but was eventually dismissed in the final over as Sri Lanka completed their comeback victory. Jordan Cox takes over behind the stumps for the series decider, while Liam Dawson and Sonny Baker replace Rehan Ahmed and Josh Tongue in the XI. Dan Lawrence was also called up to the squad as cover for Buttler.
Sri Lanka keep faith with winning combination
Sri Lanka named an unchanged XI following their stirring turnaround in the previous match. After a difficult start to the tour, the visitors produced an impressive revival, with Kusal Mendis' century providing the platform for a 321-run total. Dunith Wellalage claimed three wickets and the seamers found reverse swing in the closing stages to repeatedly break partnerships and seal a thrilling win.
Playing XIs
England: Tom Banton, Ben Duckett, Joe Root, Harry Brook (c), Jordan Cox (w), Will Jacks, Liam Dawson, Jamie Overton, Gus Atkinson, Jofra Archer, Sonny Baker.
Early exchanges
England made a brisk start before losing an early wicket, reaching 38/1 after 6.5 overs. Openers Tom Banton and Ben Duckett provided the early impetus, with Banton in particular finding the boundary ropes, before Dilshan Madushanka struck to remove Duckett. Joe Root joined Banton at the crease as England looked to build a substantial first-innings total against a Sri Lanka attack featuring Eshan Malinga and Asitha Fernando.
The hosts will hope to post a sizeable score before Sri Lanka's chase, while the visitors will aim to strike early and build on the momentum carried from their second-ODI fightback.