England sealed their first away ODI series-win since before the 2023 World Cup with victory over Sri Lanka in the final game of the three-match series in Colombo yesterday (January 27). Here are marks out of 10 for each England player for the series.
Ben Duckett – 6
3 matches, 108 runs at 36.00, 1 50, HS: 62
A series pass for Duckett after a difficult Ashes. Questions remain over technical flaws facing pace at the top of the innings, but he negotiated Sri Lanka's spinner's well to score a measured 65 in the first ODI on a tricky surface. He also got England off to a solid start in the second match.
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Zak Crawley – 1
1 match, 6 runs at 6.00, HS: 6
Recalled for the first time in two years in ODIs, Crawley lasted just six balls before he nicked behind. He was subsequently ruled out of the series with a knee injury.
Rehan Ahmed – 4
3 matches, 64 runs at 21.33, HS: 27
2 wickets at 59.00, ER: 6.21, BBI: 1-26
Promoted to the top of the order after Crawley's injury, Rehan made starts in both the second two ODIs. He flogged a drag-down from Wanindu Hasaranga to mid-wicket in the final match, and his impact with the ball was limited.
Joe Root – 10
3 matches, 247 runs at 123.50, 1 100, 2 50s, HS: 111*
2 wickets at 6.50, ER: 5.20, BBI: 2-13
Root's hundred in the final game set the stage for Harry Brook to explode at the back-end of the innings. It was his 20th ODI century, and took him past 7,500 runs in the format. Arguably his innings in the second match was more impressive, forming a partnership with Brook again on a difficult pitch, he took England to within 40 runs of victory before he was dismissed.
Jacob Bethell – 6
3 matches, 86 runs at 28.66, 1 50, HS: 65
Although Bethell's raw stats for the series don't stand out – he was out cheaply in both of the first two games – his final innings was notable, even if it was eclipsed by Root and Brook's centuries. He scored 65 off 72 balls in a measured knock that consolidated England's middle-order from the collapses of the first two matches.
Quiz! Name the players with the most men's ODI runs for England
Harry Brook – 9
3 matches, 184 runs at 92.00, 1 100, HS: 136*
In addition to his guiding 42 in the second game, Brook's hundred in the last was exceptional – freak if he hadn't done it before. He scored the second 50 of his hundred off just 17 balls, and hit 98 off 32 in the final eight overs of the innings.
Jos Buttler – 5
3 matches, 52 runs at 52.00, HS: 33*
Buttler didn't get an opportunity to bat in the final match, but he got England over the line in the second.
Sam Curran – 5
3 matches, 2 wickets at 50.00, ER: 5.66, BBI: 1-40
5 runs at 5.00, HS: 5
In a series dominated by spinners, Curran moved up to open the bowling for the first time in ODIs since 2023. His economy rate was the best of all the seamers in the series.
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Will Jacks – 6
2 matches, 3 wickets at 30.00, ER: 5.00, BBI: 2-43
Having missed the first ODI through illness, Jacks came back in the second and bowled his full quota of overs for the first time ever in an ODI. He dismissed Pavan Rathnayake to keep Sri Lanka in check towards the back-end of the innings, and also combined with Buttler to run out Kusal Mendis.
Jamie Overton – 5
3 matches, 4 wickets at 33.75, ER: 7.50, BBI: 2-21
34 runs at 34.00, HS: 34
Overton was effective at the top end of the innings in the second ODI, making a breakthrough in his third over, and came back well from leaking runs and the start of Sri Lanka's chase in the second. He also made a quickfire 34 to provide some tail-end resistance in the opening match.
Liam Dawson – 8
3 matches, 4 wickets at 29.75, ER: 3.96, BBI: 2-48
Dawson's wicket column doesn't quite reflect his utility across the series. He was miserly in all three matches, allowing England's other spinners to share most of the spoils among them. It's easy to forget that this was Dawson's first ODI series since 2022, such was the ease with which he slotted in as a perfect senior pairing alongside Adil Rashid.
Adil Rashid – 9
3 matches, 7 wickets at 19.85, ER: 4.63, BBI: 3-44
Note-perfect as ever, Rashid was best in class for spinners across both teams.
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