Sri Lanka beat England by 16 runs in the second one-day international at Headingley in Leeds on Thursday, September 24, levelling the three-match series at 1-1.
Sri Lanka won the toss and chose to bat first, posting 6-321 from their 50 overs. The total was built around a century from captain Kusal Mendis.
Chasing 322 to win, England were restricted to 9-305 from their 50 overs. It left them 16 runs short of victory, and the three-match series level with one game to play.
Kusal Mendis scored 121 off 100 balls, hitting 14 fours and three sixes in an innings that ran at better than a run a ball. It was his seventh century in one-day internationals.
Mendis put on 137 for the second wicket with Kamindu Mendis, who made 54. The partnership formed the backbone of the Sri Lankan innings after the loss of an early wicket.
Pathum Nissanka added 25, while Pavan Rathnayake made 48 and Janith Liyanage 32 as Sri Lanka's total climbed past 300.
England's reply began quickly through openers Ben Duckett and Tom Banton, who put the chase on course with a solid opening stand. Duckett made 67 and Banton 73 before both were dismissed by Dunith Wellalage.
Wellalage also removed Harry Brook for 1, striking a third telling blow in the chase. The all-rounder finished with figures of 3-49, the pick of the Sri Lankan bowlers.
England wicketkeeper Jos Buttler retired hurt with a left hamstring injury on 67 not out in the 38th over. At that point England were 4-254, still well placed to reach the target.
Buttler returned to the crease later in the innings but was clearly hampered by the injury. He was eventually dismissed for 69, having batted on through discomfort.
England needed 63 runs from the last 10 overs when Buttler first left the field. They could add only to 9-305 from their 50 overs, falling 16 runs short of what would have been a series-winning chase.
Buttler has since been ruled out of the third and final ODI because of the hamstring injury. Surrey batter Dan Lawrence has been called into the England squad as his replacement for the decider.
England had won the first ODI of the series by 89 runs at the Riverside Ground in Chester-le-Street on Tuesday, September 22. Sri Lanka's win at Headingley squared the series at 1-1 heading into the final match, after England had led 1-0.
Both squads will now travel south for the series decider. The third and final ODI will be played at The Oval in London on Sunday, September 27.