NEW DELHI: England clinched the three-match ODI series against Sri Lanka by 2-1 on the back of a Joe Root masterclass. In the third and final match, England stood tall to seal a 53-run victory in a high-scoring contest.

After winning the toss, England opted to bat first and made full use of the decision. Both openers fell early, but Root once again steadied the innings with authority and control.

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Centuries and carnage with the bat

Joe Root, who was in red-hot form throughout the series, struck a classy century, scoring 101 runs off 108 deliveries. Young left-hander Jacob Buttle provided solid support with a composed knock of 65 runs.

The real carnage, however, came at the end. Skipper Harry Brook went berserk against the Sri Lankan bowling attack, smashing a blistering 136 off just 66 balls. His assault powered England past the 350-run mark as they finished on a massive 357 for 3 in their 50 overs.

For Sri Lanka, it was a forgettable day with the ball. Wanindu Hasaranga, Jeffrey Vandersay and Dhananjaya de Silva managed to pick up one wicket each but failed to stem the flow of runs.

Pawan Ratnayake’s lone resistance

Chasing a daunting target, Sri Lanka showed intent early with the bat. However, Pawan Ratnayake was left fighting a lone battle as none of the other batters could convert their starts into big scores.

The right-hander played a valiant knock of 121 runs off 115 deliveries. Despite his efforts, the chase never truly gathered momentum and Sri Lanka were eventually bowled out for 304.

England delivered a strong all-round bowling performance to close out the match. The spinners played a crucial role, with Will Jackson and Liam Dawson standing out as they shared two wickets each while keeping the scoring rate under control.

Joe Root was named Player of the Series for his sensational run with the bat. He scored 240 runs in three matches, registering fifty-plus scores in every game and finishing with a staggering average of 123.50.