Colombo, Jan. 22 -- Joe Root and Ben Duckett's strong knocks weren't enough to secure England a win in the first ODI against Sri Lanka, as they suffered a 19-run defeat in Colombo on Thursday.

Root scored 61, while Duckett made 62, but Sri Lanka's disciplined bowling and fielding ultimately paid off. The Charith Asalanka-led side handed them a 19-run defeat at the R.Premadasa Stadium in Colombo to go 1-0 up in the three-match ODI series.

Sri Lankan star batter Kusal Mendis anchored Sri Lanka's innings with a solid 117-ball 93, and Janith Liyanage's explosive batting at the other end helped them post a competitive 271/6.

In reply, England were dented early by the loss of Zak Crawley while Root and Duckett put up a strong foundation. But...