Joe Root Created a stunning masterpiece at the R. Premadasa Stadium to reach his ODI century in the 20th century High-stakes series decider against Sri Lanka. At the Colombo pitch, Root, who had challenged the batsmen all week, showed his prowess with a flick of the ball through mid-wicket to reach the milestone and spark jubilant celebrations in the England camp. The innings marked a historic 50-over return to form for the veteran as he became the first Englishman to reach his century in one-day internationals.

Colombo Masterclass: Joe Root’s 20th ODI ton helps England vs Sri Lanka

Root dominated England’s proceedings with a flawless subcontinental batting performance in the crucial third ODI on Tuesday. After England won the toss and elected to bat, they faced pressure from Lankan spinners early on, but Root’s arrival changed the complexion of the game. Combined with his trademark late cuts and relentless use of sweeps, he weathered a tricky stretch alongside Jacob Bethel (65) Redevelopment Bureau. Root reaches his century in the 45th over, hugs captain Harry Brooke The Colombo crowd showed their appreciation. His 101* at that stage, backed by Brooke’s aggressive cameo, pushed England to a respectable 269/3 with 5 overs remaining, setting the stage for the finish in the stands.

Earlier in the series, Root was the only bright spot for the visitors, scoring 50 in the first game and a match-winning 75 in the second. However, the decider of the century feels like a clear statement ahead of the T20 World Cup. Root further distances itself from other nations by reaching 20-ton ODI John Morgan and Marcus Trescothick An entry into England’s all-time list cemented his status as the country’s greatest multi-format batsman. With the pitch starting to offer more turns and uneven bounce, Root’s century may well have provided England with enough runs to squeeze Lanka’s chase under the lights.

Here’s how fans reacted:

🚨 A hundred Joe Roots 🚨

Joe Root scored a century and his 20th ODI hundred in this ODI decider against Sri Lanka.

— Joe Root’s “The Hundred” is such a blast. 🫡 pic.twitter.com/ODomHFv14G

— Tanuj (@ImTanujSingh) January 27, 2026

Can Joe Root also break Sachin Tendulkar’s 100-century record? He is only 35 years old, very healthy and can play both games.

— Vivek (@Hailkohli18) January 27, 2026

Root is just operating from another planet, isn’t it? What’s the knock on the door again?

— Matty (@mattylufc_) January 27, 2026

ROOOOOOOOOOT👏👏Another great 100 from Joe Root, exactly 100 balls 👏Tough bowling too…he is 🐐 #SLvENG #SLvsENG

— BlueNoseBear⚽️🏏🐻💙 (@YouBearsssssss) January 27, 2026

The greatest batsman of the 20th ODI century, Joe Root. Joe Root’s ODI Peak 2.0 just keeps getting better. Carrying England as always. unreal consistency pic.twitter.com/T7iLlPdTyB

— Aryan Goel (@Aryan42832Goel) January 27, 2026

This is the 6⃣1⃣th international century @root66 🤯

He once again showed the class with an outstanding innings 👏#SLvENG pic.twitter.com/y4XD4GDOUR

— PCA (@PCA) January 27, 2026

This is what he did 👑#SLvENG pic.twitter.com/jlSHe5RLaT

— The Barmy Army 🏴§§§§§§🎺 (@TheBarmyArmy) January 27, 2026

Joe Root joins list of batsmen to hit 20 or more centuries in Tests and Odis

Sachin
Ponting
Sangha
Amla
AB
Kohli
Warner
*root pic.twitter.com/aruVpY8NVW

— Prithvi (@Prithvi10_) January 27, 2026

🚨 England’s most international centuries 🚨

Joe Root – 61*

Alastair Cook – 38 pic.twitter.com/ga4C0yueCe

——Johns. (@CricCrazyJohns) January 27, 2026

Joe Root 2nd️⃣0️⃣ 100th ODI 💯✨#cricket #SLvsENG #Joeroot #CricketTwitter pic.twitter.com/CMK9QrtIcA

— CricketTimes.com (@CricketTimesHQ) January 27, 2026

Also read: SL vs ENG: Here’s why Rehan Ahmed opens the scoring in third ODI in Colombo today

Root and Harry Brooke’s slaughter leaves England 357/3 in third ODI against Sri Lanka

The final game of the series turned into a subcontinental batting masterclass as Root and Brooke devastated the Sri Lankan attack with record-breaking double centuries. Root, who has already hit two fifties in the series, played a flawless paceman role before accelerating late on to remain unbeaten on 110. His century made him the first Englishman to achieve the mark, further cementing his status as the greatest batsman in the country’s history.

Brooke was simply unstoppable at the other end, going from 50 to 100 in just 17 balls in a late-innings blitz that included eight fours and six sixes. His final score of 136* helped England cross the 300-run mark for the first time in an ODI in Sri Lanka, surpassing their previous record of 298.

Sri Lankan bowlers, by Wanindu Hasalanga and Dunis Velaraguethere was little fun to be found on a course that was much flatter than the dangerous surface of the previous two games. earlier, Jacob Bethel After leaving early, provided a vital spark with a fluent 65 Ben Duckett and Rehan Ahmedallowing Root to adapt and control the rhythm. As the match entered its second innings, a sheer score of 357 seemed set to overwhelm Sri Lanka’s top order.

Watch also: Sri Lanka unveil ICC T20 2026 World Cup trophy in spectacular fashion at R Premadasa Stadium