Despite flashes of promise, particularly through Hasini Perera and Harshitha Samarawickrama’s brief partnership, Sri Lanka faltered in the middle overs, unable to recover momentum after early setbacks and the temporary injury scare to captain Chamari Athapaththu. Inoka Ranaweera was the standout performer with the ball for Sri Lanka, claiming 3 wickets, but it wasn’t enough to stop England’s charge.

Speaking after the match, a visibly disappointed Hasini Perera reflected on the defeat but emphasised the team’s determination to bounce back.

“A bit disappointed, but we have a few more games left. So, we want to give them a good fight,” she said, acknowledging that the side still had opportunities to turn things around in the series.

The match took a tense turn when Chamari Athapaththu was stretched off the field, sparking concern both on and off the field. For Perera, that moment meant assuming additional responsibility at the crease. “We just tried to build a partnership,” she said. “Especially with Harshani, we communicated well; we just wanted to have a good partnership there.”

England’s spinners, particularly Sophie Ecclestone, were instrumental in halting Sri Lanka’s progress. Ecclestone’s tight lines and subtle variations forced Sri Lankan batters into defensive mode, making rotation of strike increasingly difficult.

Perera admitted that the team struggled to execute their plans against such sustained pressure. “We knew our target. We stuck with our plan, but we couldn’t execute it the way we wanted to,” she explained. “Ecclestone bowled really well. It wasn’t easy to rotate the strike against her. We need to find better ways to handle that kind of consistent bowling pressure.”

Reflecting on the team’s preparation, Perera revealed that the strategy was well-discussed within the dressing room but ultimately failed to hold beyond the first half of the innings. “We discussed our plans with the coach and captain and looked to execute them. For about 20 overs, we did that very well. But after that, we couldn’t execute our plans properly,” she said.

When asked about the team’s perceived reliance on skipper Chamari Athapaththu, Perera acknowledged her importance but stressed the growing contributions of other batters. “She’s a great player, but I think in recent times a few other players have also stood up and played very well,” she remarked. “As a batting unit, we have to get together and perform collectively.”

Another area of concern for Sri Lanka was their fielding. Several misfields and dropped catches, including that of centurion Nat Sciver-Brunt on 3, cost them valuable runs, something Perera admitted the team would have to rectify. “I think today we didn’t do very well in the field. We really hope in the next games we’ll bounce back and do well in all departments,” she said.

Despite the defeat, Perera herself looked composed at the crease early on, reaching a confident half-century before falling against the run of play. “I wanted to give a good start and play positively. I tried to stick to my strengths and build the innings, but unfortunately, we lost wickets at crucial stages, which made it difficult to chase,” she concluded.

While England strengthened their position at the top of the table, Sri Lanka’s focus now turns to regrouping and addressing their middle-order inconsistencies. With several fixtures remaining, the team will be eager to rediscover its rhythm and put on a more complete performance.