Image source, Getty Images

Rehan Ahmed will know he can't bowl halfway down and this only confirms it. Kusal Mendis pulls for four.

Dawid Malan
Former England batter on BBC Radio 5 Sports Extra

Image source, Getty Images

I think this is the summer that England needed.

It was a good summer for England to be able to rebuild and test themselves against opponents who weren't at their peak.

That has helped build that positive momentum around the team from the outside.

I think both teams will be pretty happy with the situation that they are in now.

Considering Sri Lanka are only chasing 260, I think they will be very happy with where they are now.

A couple to end the powerplay leaves this chase very well poised. So much may depend on how Rehan Ahmed goes here. Sri Lanka's leggie was the pick of their bowlers.

There have been 39 dots in the first 54 balls of this innings. That feels a lot.

Harry Brook is staring down at the pitch between overs. I think he's just asked Joe Root what he thinks about getting Rehan Ahmed on early.

The result? A message to Ahmed to tell him he'll be on for the 11th over.

Aatif Nawaz
Test Match Special commentator on BBC Radio 5 Sports Extra

There has been a loss of fluency in the scoring since the first wicket fell.

The shadows are lengthening but it remains a gorgeous evening in the north east. Rehan Ahmed is turning his arm over in the deep. He may have been an early nod.

Pathum Nissanka is in a rich vein of form in this format. These are his stats in his last 10 innings compared to his career.

Image source, Cricviz

"Be patient here boys," is the chirp from one England fielder as Josh Tongue completes his over. Five come from it, including a ball cut through point.

Kusal Mendis, one of Sri Lanka's best batters, missed the T20s with injury but is back here and in early after that wicket.

Josh Tongue replaces Jofra Archer at the other end...

Russel Arnold
Ex-Sri Lanka all-rounder on BBC Test Match Special

The wicket falls.

The pressure built with those dots and Kamindu Mendis got one through the off-side, but this time the ball was there slightly on the shorter side.

He was trying to get it over that infield, but the bat closed on him a bit.

Sri Lanka lose their first wicket...

Aatif Nawaz
Test Match Special commentator on BBC Radio 5 Sports Extra

Ben Duckett makes no mistake! Gus Atkinson with that extra pace rushing onto Kamindu Mendis.

Pathum Nissanka has passed the 20-run mark in each of his last 10 ODI innings dating back to July 2025 - he's certainly the big wicket for England in this run chase.

Image source, Cricviz

England's fielders are in tight to stop singles. That's wise.

Remember there's no Adil Rashid in England's XI because of injury, which could be crucial.

Russel Arnold
Ex-Sri Lanka all-rounder on BBC Test Match Special

Let's take our thoughts back to the English innings. When England looked to play the extravagant shots, then the wickets fell. The way to go on this pitch is to build those dots.

Edged but well wide of Jos Buttler!

That releases a little bit of pressure that had been building.

England pacers in the powerplay (ODIs since 2025):

• Jofra Archer - 13 wickets, 20.9 average, 4.68 economy
• Other pacers - 20 wickets, 40.8 average, 5.70 economy

Instinctlively, this doesn't feel like a Jofra Archer kind of pitch. It's slow and the bounce is low. His second over costs just the one leg bye, with a couple that beat the edge thrown in too.

Russel Arnold
Ex-Sri Lanka all-rounder on BBC Test Match Special

Image source, Getty Images

Lovely shot again from Kamindu Mendis. Similar to the way he ended the previous over. More controlled and he kept it along the ground.