Joe Root Reaching his 20th ODI century, R. created a stunning masterpiece at the Premadasa Stadium. High stakes series decider against Sri Lanka. On the Colombo surface, which has defied the beaten all week, Root has shown his supreme technical prowess, smashing through mid-wicket to reach the landmark and spark jubilant celebrations in the England camp. The innings marks a historic return to form in the 50-over format for the veteran as he becomes the first Englishman to reach 20 centuries in One Day Internationals.
Masterclass in Colombo: Joe Root’s 20th ODI ton powers England to massive total against Sri Lanka
In the crucial third ODI on Tuesday, Root anchored the English batting with a flawless display of subcontinental batting. After England won the toss and elected to bat, they faced early pressure from the Lankan spinners, but the arrival of Root changed the complexion of the game. Combining his signature late cut with relentless use of the sweeper, he has had a tough spell. Jacob Bethell (65) rebuild shots. Root reached the 45th century by hugging the captain Harry Brooke The Colombo crowd rose in appreciation. His 101* at that stage, backed by an aggressive cameo from Brooke, pushed England to a mammoth 269/3 with five overs to go and set the stage for a grandstand finish.
Early in the series, Root was the lone bright spot for the visitors, scoring a fifty in the first match and 75 in the second. However, when decided, this century feels like a definitive statement ahead of the T20 World Cup. By reaching 20 ODI tons, Root further distanced himself John Morgan and Marcus Trescothick In England’s all-time list, he cemented his status as the country’s greatest multi-format batter. With the pitch starting to offer more spin and uneven bounce, Root’s century probably provided England with enough runs to squeeze the Lankan chase under lights.
Here’s how the fans reacted:
🚨 HUNDRED FOR JOE ROOT 🚨
Joe Root scored a magnificent Hundred in this Decider ODI match against Sri Lanka, his 20th ODI Hundred.
– What a sensational Hundred by Joe Root. 🫡 pic.twitter.com/ODomHFv14G
— Tanuj (@ImTanujSingh) January 27, 2026
Can Joe Root break Sachin Tendulkar’s 100 century records too? He is only 35 years old, super fit and plays in two formats.
— Vivek (@Hailkohli18) January 27, 2026
Root just works on another planet, doesn’t it. What beat again
— Matty (@mattylufc_) January 27, 2026
ROOOOOOOOOOT👏👏Another great 100 full 100 Ball from Joe Root👏Tough pitch too… that one🐐 #SLvENG #SLvsENG
— BlueNoseBear⚽️🏏🐻💙 (@YouBearsssssss) January 27, 2026
20th ODI Century Greatest Batsman of All Time Joe Root. Joe Root’s ODI Peak 2.0 only keeps getting better. It carries England as usual. An unrealistic sequence pic.twitter.com/T7iLlPdTyB
— Aryan Goel (@Aryan42832Goel) January 27, 2026
for 6⃣1⃣ international century @root66 🤯
He once again shows his class with a great innings 👏#SLvENG pic.twitter.com/y4XD4GDOUR
— PCA (@PCA) January 27, 2026
DOES IT 👑#SLvENG pic.twitter.com/jlSHe5RLaT
— The Barmy Army of England 🏴🎺 (@TheBarmyArmy) January 27, 2026
Joe Root joins list of batters with 20 or more 100s in Tests and Odis
Hair
Ponting
Sanga
Amla
AB
Kohli
Warner
* Root pic.twitter.com/aruVpY8NVW— Prithvi (@Prithvi10_) January 27, 2026
🚨 THE MOST INTERNATIONAL FACES FOR ENGLAND 🚨
Joe Root – 61*
Alastair Cook – 38 pic.twitter.com/ga4C0yueCe
– Jones. (@CricCrazyJohns) January 27, 2026
2️⃣0️⃣th ODI hundred for Joe Root 💯✨#cricket #SLvsENG #JoeRoot #CricketTwitter pic.twitter.com/CMK9QrtIcA
— CricketTimes.com (@CricketTimesHQ) January 27, 2026
Also READ: SL vs ENG: Here’s why Rehan Ahmed opened the innings in today’s 3rd ODI in Colombo
Root and Harry Brook ton take England to 357/3 in 3rd ODI against Sri Lanka
The final match of the series turned into a masterclass in subcontinental batting as Root and Brook dismantled the Sri Lankan attack with a record-breaking double-century stand. Root, who has already hit two fifties in the series, played the anchor to perfection before accelerating late and finishing unbeaten on 110. His 20th century made him the first Englishman to reach the mark and further cemented his status as the greatest batsman in the country’s history.
Brook, on the other hand, was simply unstoppable, racing from fifty to hundred off just 17 balls during a late-innings blitz that included eight fours and six sixes. His final score of 136* took England past 300 for the first time in an ODI in Sri Lanka, surpassing the previous record of 298.
Led by Sri Lankan bowlers Wanindu Hasaranga and Dunith Wellalagefound little joy on a pitch that looked flatter than the treacherous surfaces of the first two matches. Previously, Jacob Bethell After the early departures of ’65, Fluent provided a vital spark Ben Duckett and Rehan AhmedAllows the root to settle and control the pace. As the game moved into the second innings, the sheer weight of runs, 357, looked set to overwhelm Sri Lanka’s top order.
Also WATCH: Sri Lanka unveiled the ICC T20 World Cup 2026 trophy in grand fashion at the R Premadasa Stadium
