Sri Lanka levels ODI series after Jos Buttler injury and Kusal Mendis century

Sri Lanka leveled the one-day international series against England with a 16-run victory in the second match, forcing the contest to a decider at the Oval on Sunday. The result marked a sharp contrast to the conditions of the previous game, as a beautiful batting surface and a greased lightning outfield defined this encounter. Although England set a challenging target of 322 and benefited from a rapid-fire 143-run opening stand between Ben Duckett and Tom Banton, Sri Lanka remained resilient throughout the chase.

The match concluded with Sri Lanka delivering a famous shutout while capitalizing on a hamstring injury sustained by wicketkeeper Jos Buttler while taking a run. This performance by the Sri Lankan side prevented England from wrapping up the series with a match to spare, ultimately resulting in a level scoreline heading into the final game.