Joe Root Says He Will Be “Watching Out” for Pavan Ratnayake

England star batsman Joe Root praised Sri Lanka's Pawan Ratnayake after his remarkable century in the third ODI at the R. Premadasa Stadium, calling him a player with a bright future in international cricket.

Root's unbeaten 111 and Harry Brook's explosive 136 helped Sri Lanka chase down England's mammoth 357 for 3, while Ratnayake scored a top-class 121 in a high-pressure chase. Despite his efforts, Sri Lanka failed to win, handing England a 2-1 series win and ending Sri Lanka's unbeaten 12-match ODI series win streak since 2022.

"I thought he played really well. He has a really good game against spinners, he can handle the ball and doesn't take the balls," Root said. "He has a good ability to change the ball, but there are a few options to bowl.

"I think he has a bright future ahead of him, I will look after him because it is really special. He just needed one or two of the other players."

Root's endorsement came after a dominant series from the England batsman. He scored 61, 75 and 111 not out in three matches, underlining his importance as England progress towards the One-Day World Cup qualification.

Rathnayake's innings provided a glimpse of Sri Lanka's next generation of batting talent, and despite the defeat, the young batsman earned praise from one of the world's leading batsmen.