Story perspectives

Sri Lanka beats England by 16 runs, ties ODI series

By Drooid · Sep 25, 2026, 2:24 AM UTC · How we work

Summary

Story summary

Sri Lanka beat England by 16 runs at Headingley, tying the three-match ODI series 1-1.
Sri Lanka posted 321-6 in 50 overs, anchored by captain Kusal Mendis 121 and Kamindu Mendis 54.
England were all out for 305-9 in 50 overs, falling 16 runs short of the 322 target.
Jos Buttler retired hurt on 67, returned to add two runs, and was dismissed for 69.

History

Historical Context

On 17 March 1996, Sri Lanka won its first Cricket World Cup, defeating Australia by seven wickets at Lahore’s Gaddafi Stadium, with Aravinda de Silva scoring an unbeaten 107. That breakthrough marked the first time a host nation captured the title and signaled Sri Lanka’s rise as a strong ODI side. The recent Headingley ODI, where captain Kusal Mendis hit 121, echoes that historic batting dominance.

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Story summary

Sri Lanka beat England by 16 runs at Headingley, tying the three-match ODI series 1-1.
Sri Lanka posted 321-6 in 50 overs, anchored by captain Kusal Mendis 121 and Kamindu Mendis 54.
England were all out for 305-9 in 50 overs, falling 16 runs short of the 322 target.
Jos Buttler retired hurt on 67, returned to add two runs, and was dismissed for 69.

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