Will Jacks' 5-22 and 46 lead England to 89-run ODI win over Sri Lanka

Will Jacks delivered an outstanding all-round performance to guide England to an 89-run victory over Sri Lanka in the first one-day international at Chester-le-Street on September 22, 2026. England posted 265 all out in 48.1 overs on a slow and low pitch, with captain Harry Brook scoring 67 and Jacks contributing an unbeaten 46 from 47 balls. Joe Root added 44 runs and reached 23,000 international runs across all formats, while Ben Duckett (32) and Jos Buttler (31) provided supporting contributions. Sri Lanka's debutant leg-spinner Sachindu Colombage took an impressive 3-44, including the wickets of Root and Buttler, but England's total proved defensible.

Sri Lanka's chase never threatened on the difficult pitch. The visitors were bowled out for 176 in 37 overs, with Dunith Wellalage top-scoring with 45 off 36 balls and Kusal Mendis contributing 42. The innings stalled after reaching 84-2, and Sri Lanka lost regular wickets attempting sweep shots against Jacks' off-spin bowling. Josh Tongue dismissed opener Pathum Nissanka for 27 early on, while Jamie Overton took 2-21 to help trigger a late collapse.

Jacks' bowling performance was the match's defining moment. He took a career-best 5-22 in seven overs, including three wickets in the final over: Asitha Fernando for nought and Dilshan Madushanka for a golden duck. His five-wicket haul ranks as the second-best by an England spinner in ODI history, behind only Vic Marks' 5-20 in 1984. Jacks was named Player of the Match for his contributions with both bat and ball.

The victory extends England's white-ball dominance over Sri Lanka, bringing their winning streak to 10 matches this year after a 3-0 T20 series sweep. England now leads the three-match ODI series 1-0 with the second game scheduled for Headingley on Thursday and the series finale at The Oval on Sunday. England's success represents a shift in approach under coach Brendon McCullum, demonstrating the ability to win on difficult pitches without relying on dominant batting performances. Notably, England did not hit a six while batting first—a first for the side since 2019.