Sri Lanka level series beating England in thrilling contest

England needed 19 runs to win off the last over. Jos Buttler, who had left the field after scoring 67 due to a hamstring strain, returned to the crease in the 48th over. He hit Dilshan Madushanka's first ball towards deep mid-wicket. The ball seemed as though it might cross the boundary, but due to the large boundary it became a catch. Kamindu Mendis took the catch. England's hopes of victory largely ended there.

Sri Lanka levelled the three-match series 1-1 with a 16-run win in the second ODI.

At Headingley on Thursday, Kusal Mendis's century and several useful innings helped Sri Lanka post 321 runs in 50 overs. In reply, despite a 143-run opening partnership and four fifty-plus innings, England were ultimately stopped at 305.

Sri Lanka captain Kusal Mendis won the Player of the Match award for his 121 runs off 100 balls, including 14 fours and three sixes.

Dunith Wellalage played an important role with the ball for the visitors. The left-arm spinner took the crucial wickets of Tom Banton, Ben Duckett and Harry Brook in 10 overs, conceding 49 runs.

For England, Banton scored 73, Duckett 67, Buttler 69 and Will Jacks 52.

Chasing a big target, England made a flying start. Aggressive batting from Banton and Duckett brought 82 runs in the first 10 overs of the powerplay. After reaching his fifty, Banton also hit two sixes in one over off leg-spinner Sachindu Colombage.

During their partnership, England seemed on course for victory. However, the match turned after Wellalage came on to bowl. After conceding just 2 runs in his first over, the 23-year-old spinner dismissed Duckett, Banton and Harry Brook in three consecutive overs.

Banton scored a career-best 73 off 62 balls, including seven fours and three sixes. Duckett scored 67 off 63 balls with nine fours.

Buttler's counter-attack then brought England back into the match again. He built a 46-run partnership off 28 balls with Joe Root. Root departed for 15 off 17 balls.

Buttler, who reached his fifty off 36 balls, then built another fifty-plus partnership with Jacks. But in the 38th over, he suffered a hamstring strain. Despite trying to continue playing after treatment from the physio, he left the field limping after two more balls.

At that point, England needed 68 runs off 75 balls to win. Afterwards, they could manage only 52 runs in the remainder of the innings, losing five wickets. During that time, only one four and one six came. In the end, that proved to be the difference.

Sri Lanka's bowlers were getting reverse swing with the old ball. Making use of it, Asitha Fernando and Ishan Malinga bowled brilliantly.

Despite wickets falling at one end, Jacks kept trying. When Buttler returned to the crease limping, England needed 27 runs off 14 balls. A six by Jacks off the last ball of the 48th over left the equation at 20 runs needed off the last two overs.

In the 49th over, Malinga conceded just one run and dismissed Jacks. Buttler then added 2 more runs before being out off the first ball of the last over, which also confirmed the result of the match.

Earlier, Sri Lanka won the toss and elected to bat on a batting-friendly wicket. Pathum Nissanka and Kamindu Mendis added 45 runs in the opening partnership. Nissanka, who scored 25 off 33 balls, was lbw to Atkinson in the 10th over off a delivery that came in.

Kusal Mendis then came to the crease. He built a 137-run partnership off 120 balls with Kamindu Mendis, laying the foundation for a big total. However, when Kusal Mendis was on 18, Atkinson dropped an easy catch. England had to pay for that mistake later.

Atkinson broke the big partnership by dismissing Kamindu, who scored 56 off 65 balls. In the next over, umpire gave Kusal Mendis, then on 99, out caught behind off Jamie Overton. He survived on review, as the ball had not touched the bat. Off the very next ball, the 31-year-old batter completed his seventh ODI century with a four.

In the 32nd over, Sri Lanka's team total crossed 200. At that point, the team was hoping for a score close to 340. However, after Kusal Mendis's departure, the run rate slowed.

Charith Asalanka could not do well. Pavan Rathnayake scored 48 off 39 balls and Janith Liyanage scored 32 off 26 balls as Sri Lanka posted a total above three hundred. In the end, that total paved the way for them to level the series.