England hamstrung in chase as Kusal class lifts Sri Lanka

Jos Buttler's "twinge" proves pivotal in setting up series decider at The Oval

Matt Roller

Published: Sep 24, 2026, 9:31 PM (3 hrs ago)

It was a tale of two hamstrings. Sri Lanka have looked like a far stronger side since the return of Kusal Mendis, who missed last week's T20Is with a strain, and his brilliant century and brave captaincy helped them level the series in Leeds. But this gripping ODI really turned on Jos Buttler's "twinge" during England's run chase.

England were cruising towards a target of 322 when Buttler scurried back for two, raising a 50-run fourth-wicket partnership with Will Jacks in the process. But as he clutched the back of his left leg, a straightforward requirement of 69 off 77 balls suddenly took on a different complexion.

Buttler slowly peeled himself off the field two balls later after hobbling through for a single, and watched in growing frustration as the asking rate steadily climbed. Rehan Ahmed, a spot or two high at No. 7, gloved a short ball down the leg side, and neither Jacks nor Gus Atkinson - curiously promoted ahead of Jamie Overton - could find the boundary.

Related

Banton re-emerges at the top after 50-over wilderness years

Sri Lanka seek ODI revival in bruising England tour

Jacks bounces back after appendix surgery threatened early end to season

Kusal, Wellalage star as Sri Lanka defend 322 in Headingley thriller

Sri Lanka were outstanding, led expertly by Mendis. As much as the change in format, his arrival has transformed this team: he cracked an 82-ball hundred after challenging his team-mates to bat much better than they had in Durham, then helped drag the game back after a slapdash start by juggling his bowling options impressively.

The initial introduction of Dunith Wellalage broke the game open: he accounted for both openers after a 143-run stand, then trapped Harry Brook lbw. Mendis then bravely stuck with Sachindu Colombage's legspin after a 17-run over to then have Joe Root chipping to short cover, and watched his seamers get the old ball to tail at the death as England ground to a halt.

Buttler's night was not quite done. After Atkinson and Overton holed out, he returned to the middle with 27 off 14 required in the knowledge that boundaries were the relevant currency. But after Jacks picked out long-on, Buttler himself perished at deep midwicket and the game was up - as Sri Lanka's enthusiastic celebrations showed.

Brook refused to attribute the result solely to Buttler's injury, but England only managed two boundaries - one four and one six - after he limped off. "[Losing] a player of Jos's ability, it's always going to have an effect on a chase like that, isn't it? We know what he can do and the power that he possesses to put the pressure back on the bowlers."

It became increasingly apparent, too, as the chase wore on that the changes to ODI playing conditions introduced by the ICC last year will have a significant impact at next year's World Cup. With a single ball used for the final 16 overs, reverse-swing has crept back into 50-over cricket; Asitha Fernando and Eshan Malinga both got the white Kookaburra to tail late.

"It's a good rule change," Brook said. "I thought we made the most of it as well: the way we finished our bowling innings was exceptional, and we got the most out of the ball that we chose. They [Sri Lanka] executed their skills exceptionally well there in the last 10-15 overs: they very rarely missed… It's something that we're still trying to figure out."

Conditions at Headingley were particularly conducive to scuffing up one side of the ball, with a dry, hard square running across the ground, and plenty of concrete and metal to aim for in the stands. But teams may increasingly have to consider pulling the trigger earlier than they are used to in a run chase, in the expectation that scoring will become harder, not easier.

It should mean that an in-form Buttler is hugely valuable, and his injury sadly overshadowed his sublime ball-striking. He cracked five sixes, all of them down the ground and four of them off Colombage, to put a dent in the chase, and has rediscovered the form that deserted him during his wretched, 87-run T20 World Cup campaign earlier this year.

Since a conversation with Eoin Morgan at the Utilita Bowl in July, in which his former captain encouraged him to "commit" to his trademark, fearless style, Buttler has cracked 466 runs in nine white-ball innings for England, won the Hundred as captain, and become the first man to score 15,000 T20 runs in his career.

The only lingering concern will be his body. Buttler has been frustrated by semi-regular soft-tissue injuries since turning 30, and celebrated his 36th birthday earlier this month. But after captaining England's debacle of a title defence in India in 2023, he will be desperate to make amends in southern Africa next year.

He is almost certain to miss Sunday's decider at The Oval, with Jordan Cox in line to keep wicket and bat in the middle order. With Jacob Bethell (knee) and Sam Curran (groin) also sidelined, it will provide an improving England side with the chance to prove their depth against a Sri Lanka who proved in Leeds that they are far better than they had shown to this point.

Matt Roller is a senior correspondent at Cricinfo. @mroller98

Click here to read article