NewKerala.com

Will Jacks Misses England's ODI Opener vs Sri Lanka Due to Illness

England all-rounder Will Jacks was ruled out of the first ODI against Sri Lanka due to illness, with Rehan Ahmed taking his place in the lineup. Sri Lanka captain Charith Asalanka won the toss and elected to bat first on what he described as a good pitch. England captain Harry Brook confirmed he would have also chosen to bat first had he won the toss. Sri Lanka's openers provided a solid start, reaching 49 without loss after 10 overs.

Key Points: Will Jacks Out of 1st England-Sri Lanka ODI Due to Illness

  • Will Jacks ruled out with illness
  • Rehan Ahmed replaces him in playing XI
  • Sri Lanka wins toss, chooses to bat
  • Teams announce starting lineups
2 min read

Will Jacks misses Sri Lanka vs England 1st ODI due to illness

England's Will Jacks ruled out of the first ODI against Sri Lanka in Colombo due to illness. Rehan Ahmed replaces him as Sri Lanka opt to bat first.

"Rehan comes in for an ill Will Jacks. - Harry Brook"

Colombo, January 22

England batting all-rounder Will Jacks is not featuring in the first Sri Lanka vs England ODI of the three-match series, on Thursday, at the R.Premadasa Stadium in Colombo. At the toss, England captain Harry Brook announced that illness has ruled Jacks out of the match.

With the playing 11 already announced on the eve of the series opener, England brought in Rehan Ahmed in place of Jacks.

Coming to the toss, Sri Lanka captain Charith Asalanka won the toss and chose to bat first and said that the team will look to score a big first-innings total on what he feels is a good pitch.

"We are going to bat first. It looks like a good pitch, and we want to put up a good score on the board. Wanindu and Theekshana are resting. Dhananjaya comes in. We have been doing great apart from the last Pakistan tour. We want to continue doing the same," Asalanka said at the toss.

The England captain also would have chosen bat first had he won the toss, he said after losing the toss.

"We would have had a bat first, but it is what it is. Zak comes in to open the batting with Ben. Rehan comes in for an ill Will Jacks. Sri Lanka are a massive side at home and we want to do well against them," Brook said during the toss.

In the match, Sri Lanka got off to a very good start as they found themselves at 49/0 in 10 overs, with openers Kamil Mishara and Pathum Nissanka having stitched an unbeaten stand.

Sri Lanka vs England 1st ODI playing 11s:

Sri Lanka playing 11: Pathum Nissanka, Kamil Mishara, Kusal Mendis(w), Dhananjaya de Silva, Charith Asalanka(c), Janith Liyanage, Pavan Rathnayake, Dunith Wellalage, Pramod Madushan, Jeffrey Vandersay, Asitha Fernando

England playing 11: Zak Crawley, Ben Duckett, Joe Root, Jacob Bethell, Harry Brook(c), Jos Buttler(w), Sam Curran, Rehan Ahmed, Jamie Overton, Liam Dawson, Adil Rashid.

- ANI

Share this article:

Reader Comments

S
Sarah B
Interesting to see Sri Lanka resting Wanindu and Theekshana. Shows some confidence in their bench strength. Good start by the openers, hope they can convert it into a big one. England's bowling will be tested without a proper 6th bowler now.
K
Karthik V
As an Indian fan watching, this is good prep for our team too. Seeing how England handles spin in these conditions. Rehan Ahmed in for Jacks makes their batting a bit thinner down the order. SL batting first is the right call on this Colombo track.
A
Ananya R
Health comes first, of course. But these last-minute changes can really disrupt team balance. England's think tank must have had a specific role for Jacks. Hope the humidity in Colombo isn't getting to the players. Stay hydrated, everyone! 💧
M
Michael C
Respectfully, while player health is paramount, the article could use a bit more depth on the tactical implications. Jacks offers a powerplay bowling option that Rehan doesn't. That changes Brook's captaincy plans significantly. Just my two cents.
P
Priya S
​49/0 in 10 overs is a solid, sensible start. Good to see Pathum Nissanka playing well. Hope SL posts 300+. England's batting looks strong on paper, but let's see how they chase under lights! Exciting series ahead. 🏏

We welcome thoughtful discussions from our readers. Please keep comments respectful and on-topic.

Leave a Comment

Minimum 50 characters 0/50