Sri Lanka enter the second ODI at Colombo’s R. Premadasa Stadium with a 1-0 series lead and the momentum of a hard-fought 19-run victory in the opener.
After Kusal Mendis anchored the first match with a brilliant unbeaten 93, the hosts will look to their formidable spin attack, led by youngster Dunith Wellalage, to once again exploit the turning conditions and secure the series with a game to spare. England, meanwhile, faces a do-or-die scenario to keep the series alive.
Joe Root and Ben Duckett showed class in the first match, but the visitors must find a way to navigate a middle-order collapse and show greater composure against the spinning ball. With the head-to-head record now perfectly poised at 38 wins apiece, this afternoon’s clash promises to be a high-stakes tactical battle on a surface where every run will be fiercely contested.
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