Joe Root
544 runs in the last 10 ODIs. Career average 50.5, strike rate 88.
The sides
| Measure | England | Sri Lanka |
|---|---|---|
| Rating | 16437th of 20 | 16458th of 20 |
| Home advantage | +130Rating points | –Touring |
| XI caps | 564ODIs between the XI | 436ODIs between the XI |
| Top-seven average | 36.6ODI batting in England | 30.6ODI batting in England |
When England bat
+0.38 an overPowerplayOvers 1–10+0.05MiddleOvers 11–45+0.46DeathOvers 46–50+0.47
When Sri Lanka bat
+0.37 an overPowerplayOvers 1–10+0.40MiddleOvers 11–45+0.41DeathOvers 46–50−0.03
First innings
292England bat first
266Sri Lanka bat first
287Par
286Average here since 2019, 8 innings
368Highest here, England 2023
Can England settle it at the Oval without Buttler?
England were 254 for 4 at Headingley, needing 68 off 75 balls, when Jos Buttler pulled up with a hamstring injury on 65 off 43. By the time he limped back out in the 48th over, Rehan Ahmed, Gus Atkinson and Jamie Overton had gone, and Sri Lanka won by 16 runs to level the series at 1–1. Kusal Mendis's 121 off 100 balls had carried them to 321 for 6, the highest total of the series. We make England 68% to win the decider with the XI from Headingley. That has Buttler in it; with Jordan Cox keeping in his place, we make them 64%.
The Oval has been kinder to England in this fixture. They have won the last three ODIs against Sri Lanka here, most recently by eight wickets in 2021, although across the 27 ODIs between the sides in England since 2006 it is 12 wins each. Par is 287, and first innings here since 2019 have averaged 286. The forecast is overcast, about 20°C.
What total is safe?
ODIs in England since 2019
First inningsDefended
Under 25026%6 of 23
250–27957%4 of 7
280–30988%7 of 8
310–33976%13 of 17
340+83%10 of 12
The case for England
- Joe Root has 596 ODI runs at the Oval at an average of 54.2, and 1,425 against Sri Lanka at 67.9, against his career 50.9.
- Jofra Archer has four wickets in his two ODIs here at 8.3 each, against his career average of 25.6.
- Buttler has 263 ODI runs at the Oval at a strike rate of 127.7, above his career 115.9. Cox has 22 runs from his three ODIs.
Batting standout
Bowling standout
Jofra Archer
17 wickets in the last 10 ODIs. Career economy 5.14.
The case for Sri Lanka
- Kusal Mendis has 207 ODI runs at the Oval at an average of 51.8, against his career 35.4.
- Dunith Wellalage took 3 for 49 at Headingley, including Duckett, Banton and Brook, and went into the series conceding 4.61 an over across his last ten ODIs, against his career 5.07.
- Pavan Rathnayake has 162 runs in his three ODIs against England at an average of 54.0, above his career 43.6.
Batting standout
Pavan Rathnayake
506 runs in the last 10 ODIs. Career average 50.6, strike rate 100.
Bowling standout
Dilshan Madushanka
15 wickets in the last 10 ODIs. Career economy 6.22.