ENG vs SL 2nd ODI 2026: Result, Scorecard & Highlights
Match Summary
Sri Lanka defeated England by 16 runs in the second ODI of the Sri Lanka tour of England 2026 at Headingley, Leeds, on Thursday, September 24.
Sri Lanka won the toss and chose to bat first. Captain Kusal Mendis led from the front with an outstanding 121 off 100 balls, helping Sri Lanka post 321/6 in their 50 overs. Kamindu Mendis also made an important contribution with 54 off 65 balls, while Pavan Rathnayake added 48 from 39 balls.
England started their chase strongly. Tom Banton scored 73 off 62 balls and Ben Duckett made 67 off 63 balls as England reached 143 without losing a wicket. However, Dunith Wellalage changed the game with three wickets for 49 runs.
Jos Buttler then scored 69 off 49 balls and Will Jacks added 52, but England could only reach 305/9 from their 50 overs.
The result levelled the three-match ODI series at 1-1, setting up a series decider at The Oval on September 27.
Match Details
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Match | England vs Sri Lanka, 2nd ODI |
| Series | Sri Lanka tour of England, 2026 |
| Format | ODI |
| Date | Thursday, September 24, 2026 |
| Venue | Headingley |
| City | Leeds, England |
| Toss | Sri Lanka won the toss and chose to bat |
| Result | Sri Lanka won by 16 runs |
| Player of the Match | Kusal Mendis |
Toss
Sri Lanka captain Kusal Mendis won the toss at Headingley and elected to bat first.
The decision allowed Sri Lanka to put runs on the board before England began their chase. Sri Lanka eventually reached 321/6, giving England a target of 322.
Kusal Mendis then played a central role in making that decision count, scoring 121 from 100 balls.
Playing XIs
| England Playing XI | Sri Lanka Playing XI |
|---|---|
| Tom Banton | Pathum Nissanka |
| Ben Duckett | Kamindu Mendis |
| Joe Root | Kusal Mendis (c, wk) |
| Harry Brook (c) | Pavan Rathnayake |
| Jos Buttler (wk) | Charith Asalanka |
| Will Jacks | Janith Liyanage |
| Rehan Ahmed | Dunith Wellalage |
| Jamie Overton | Sachindu Colombage |
| Gus Atkinson | Eshan Malinga |
| Jofra Archer | Asitha Fernando |
| Josh Tongue | Dilshan Madushanka |
Sri Lanka First Innings
Sri Lanka finished their first innings on 321/6 after 50 overs.The visitors lost Pathum Nissanka for 25 with the score on 45, but Kamindu Mendis joined Kusal Mendis and helped rebuild the innings.Kusal and Kamindu added 137 runs for the second wicket. Kamindu eventually fell for 54 off 65 balls, but Kusal continued to dominate the England attack.
Kusal reached his century from 82 balls and eventually made 121 from 100 deliveries. His innings contained 14 fours and three sixes.
Pavan Rathnayake then added 48 from 39 balls, while Janith Liyanage scored 32 from 26 deliveries. Sri Lanka collected 84 runs during the final 10 overs and finished on 321/6.
Rehan Ahmed and Gus Atkinson took two wickets each for England.
Sri Lanka Batting Scorecard
| Batter | Dismissal | Runs | Balls | 4s | 6s | SR |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pathum Nissanka | lbw b Gus Atkinson | 25 | 33 | 3 | 1 | 75.76 |
| Kamindu Mendis | c Harry Brook b Gus Atkinson | 54 | 65 | 4 | 3 | 83.08 |
| Kusal Mendis (c/wk) | c Tom Banton b Rehan Ahmed | 121 | 100 | 14 | 3 | 121.00 |
| Pavan Rathnayake | run out (Jos Buttler/Joe Root) | 48 | 39 | 2 | 1 | 123.08 |
| Charith Asalanka | c Gus Atkinson b Rehan Ahmed | 11 | 18 | 2 | 0 | 61.11 |
| Janith Liyanage | c Joe Root b Jofra Archer | 32 | 26 | 4 | 0 | 123.08 |
| Dunith Wellalage | not out | 16 | 15 | 1 | 0 | 106.67 |
| Sachindu Colombage | not out | 3 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 75.00 |
| Extras | — | 11 | — | — | — | — |
| Total | 6 wickets | 321 | 50 overs |
England Bowling Figures
| Bowler | Overs | Maidens | Runs | Wickets | Econ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jofra Archer | 10 | 0 | 68 | 1 | 6.80 |
| Gus Atkinson | 10 | 0 | 55 | 2 | 5.50 |
| Josh Tongue | 7 | 0 | 50 | 0 | 7.14 |
| Will Jacks | 5 | 0 | 33 | 0 | 6.60 |
| Jamie Overton | 10 | 0 | 63 | 0 | 6.30 |
| Rehan Ahmed | 8 | 0 | 48 |
England Second Innings
England needed 322 runs to win and began the chase in excellent fashion.Tom Banton and Ben Duckett put together a 143-run opening partnership. Both batters attacked the Sri Lankan bowlers during the early overs, giving England a strong platform.
Duckett scored 67 from 63 balls before Dunith Wellalage dismissed him. Wellalage then removed Banton for 73 and Harry Brook for 1, reducing England to 157/3. Joe Root made 15 before Sachindu Colombage dismissed him, but Jos Buttler continued to keep England in the contest.
Buttler scored 69 from 49 balls, including five fours and five sixes. Will Jacks also made 52 from 61 balls. England reached 250 in the 37th over but lost wickets during the closing stages. Wellalage finished with 3/49, while Eshan Malinga took 2/50.
England needed 19 runs from the final over but could only finish on 305/9, giving Sri Lanka a 16-run victory.
England Batting Scorecard
| Batter | Dismissal | Runs | Balls | 4s | 6s | SR |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tom Banton | st Kusal Mendis b Dunith Wellalage | 73 | 62 | 7 | 3 | 117.74 |
| Ben Duckett | b Dunith Wellalage | 67 | 63 | 9 | 0 | 106.35 |
| Joe Root | c Pavan Rathnayake b Sachindu Colombage | 15 | 17 | 1 | 0 | 88.24 |
| Harry Brook (c) | lbw b Dunith Wellalage | 1 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 16.67 |
| Jos Buttler (wk) | c Kusal Mendis b Dilshan Madushanka | 69 | 49 | 5 | 5 | 140.82 |
| Will Jacks | c Janith Liyanage b Eshan Malinga | 52 | 61 | 4 | 2 | 85.25 |
| Rehan Ahmed | c Kusal Mendis b Dilshan Madushanka | 0 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0.00 |
| Gus Atkinson | c Pavan Rathnayake b Eshan Malinga | 16 | 28 | 0 | 0 | 57.14 |
| Jamie Overton | c Charith Asalanka b Asitha Fernando | 2 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 66.67 |
| Jofra Archer | not out | 0 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 0.00 |
| Josh Tongue | not out | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 100.00 |
| Extras | — | 9 | — | — | — | — |
| Total | 9 wickets | 305 | 50 overs |
Sri Lanka Bowling Figures
| Bowler | Overs | Maidens | Runs | Wickets | Econ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Asitha Fernando | 10 | 0 | 68 | 1 | 6.80 |
| Dilshan Madushanka | 9 | 0 | 54 | 2 | 6.00 |
| Charith Asalanka | 6 | 0 | 29 | 0 | 4.83 |
| Eshan Malinga | 9 | 0 | 50 | 2 | 5.56 |
| Sachindu Colombage | 6 | 0 | 55 | 1 | 9.17 |
| Dunith Wellalage | 10 | 0 | 49 | 3 | 4.90 |
Final Result
Sri Lanka won by 16 runs.
Sri Lanka defended their total of 321/6 after restricting England to 305/9 in 50 overs.
The victory came after England’s strong opening partnership had put them in a good position. Sri Lanka recovered through Dunith Wellalage’s three wickets and disciplined bowling during the closing stages.
Player of the Match — Kusal Mendis
Kusal Mendis
Kusal Mendis was named Player of the Match after scoring 121 runs from 100 balls.
The Sri Lanka captain struck 14 fours and three sixes and formed a 137-run second-wicket partnership with Kamindu Mendis.His century provided the foundation for Sri Lanka’s 321/6. The total ultimately proved sufficient as England finished 16 runs short.
Best Batting Performances
Kusal Mendis produced the highest individual score of the match with 121 from 100 balls at a strike rate of 121.00. Kamindu Mendis supported him with 54 from 65 balls during their important second-wicket partnership.
For England, Tom Banton top-scored with 73 from 62 balls. Ben Duckett added 67 from 63 balls, while Jos Buttler made 69 from 49 balls. Will Jacks also contributed 52 from 61 deliveries, but England could not maintain the required scoring rate during the final stages.
Best Bowling Performances
Dunith Wellalage was Sri Lanka’s leading bowler, finishing with 3/49 from 10 overs.
His wickets of Ben Duckett, Tom Banton and Harry Brook changed the direction of England’s chase after the hosts had reached 143 without loss.
Eshan Malinga took 2/50 from nine overs, while Dilshan Madushanka claimed 2/54.
For England, Gus Atkinson and Rehan Ahmed took two wickets each. Atkinson finished with 2/55 from 10 overs, while Ahmed returned 2/48 from eight overs.
Key Partnerships
Kusal Mendis and Kamindu Mendis — 137 runs
The second-wicket partnership between Kusal and Kamindu Mendis was one of the most important stands of the match.
After Pathum Nissanka fell at 45, the pair added 137 runs and rebuilt Sri Lanka’s innings.
Tom Banton and Ben Duckett — 143 runs
England’s opening pair gave their team an excellent start during the chase.
Banton and Duckett added 143 runs for the first wicket before Wellalage dismissed Duckett for 67.
Kusal Mendis and Pavan Rathnayake — 40 runs
After reaching his century, Kusal continued to build the total with Pavan Rathnayake.
Their 40-run partnership helped Sri Lanka maintain momentum before Kusal was dismissed for 121.
Turning Point of the Match
The biggest shift came during England’s chase when Dunith Wellalage removed Ben Duckett, Tom Banton and Harry Brook.
England had reached 143 without loss and appeared to be in control of the chase. Wellalage’s three wickets reduced England to 157/3 and brought Sri Lanka back into the contest.
Later, England’s middle and lower order struggled to score quickly enough during the final overs. Will Jacks and Jos Buttler continued the fight, but Sri Lanka managed to protect the 16-run advantage.
Match Highlights
- Sri Lanka scored 321/6 in their 50 overs.
- Kusal Mendis scored 121 from 100 balls.
- Kusal and Kamindu Mendis added 137 runs for the second wicket.
- Pavan Rathnayake scored 48 from 39 balls.
- England’s Tom Banton made 73 from 62 balls.
- Ben Duckett scored 67 from 63 balls.
- Jos Buttler made 69 from 49 balls.
- Dunith Wellalage took 3/49 from 10 overs.
- England finished on 305/9 after 50 overs.
- Sri Lanka won by 16 runs and levelled the ODI series 1-1.
Series Situation
The second ODI victory levelled the three-match series at 1-1. England had won the first ODI at Chester-le-Street by 89 runs after scoring 265 and bowling Sri Lanka out for 176.
Sri Lanka responded at Headingley with a 16-run victory, meaning the series remained undecided after two matches. The third ODI became the series decider and was scheduled for September 27 at The Oval in London.
What’s Next?
The next match is the third and final ODI between England and Sri Lanka.
- Match: England vs Sri Lanka, 3rd ODI
- Format: ODI
- Date: Sunday, September 27, 2026
- Venue: The Oval, London
- Start time: 10:30 AM local time
For readers following the series, CricLive360 can internally link this article to the England vs Sri Lanka 3rd ODI match page when that page is published.
Final Scorecard
| Team | Score | Overs | Result |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sri Lanka | 321/6 | 50.0 | Won |
| England | 305/9 | 50.0 | Lost by 16 runs |
Conclusion
Sri Lanka defeated England by 16 runs at Headingley to level the three-match ODI series at 1-1.Kusal Mendis’ 121 provided the foundation for Sri Lanka’s 321/6, while Dunith Wellalage’s 3/49 helped the visitors recover after England’s strong opening partnership.
England’s 305/9 showed that the hosts remained in the contest until the closing stages, but Sri Lanka held their nerve to secure the win. The result sent the series to a decider at The Oval on September 27.
FAQs
Who won ENG vs SL 2nd ODI 2026?
Sri Lanka won the second ODI against England by 16 runs at Headingley, Leeds.
What was the final score of ENG vs SL 2nd ODI?
Sri Lanka scored 321/6 in 50 overs, while England finished on 305/9 in 50 overs.
Who was Player of the Match in ENG vs SL 2nd ODI?
Sri Lanka captain Kusal Mendis was named Player of the Match after scoring 121 runs from 100 balls.
Who scored the most runs in ENG vs SL 2nd ODI?
Kusal Mendis scored the most runs in the match, making 121 from 100 balls for Sri Lanka.
Who took the most wickets in ENG vs SL 2nd ODI?
Dunith Wellalage took the most wickets in the match, finishing with 3/49 from 10 overs for Sri Lanka.