England put a halt to their torrid one-day international record as they claimed a five-wicket win over Sri Lanka to take their three-match ODI series to a decider in Colombo.
Harry Brook's side bounced back from their 19-run defeat in Thursday's series opener - their 12th loss in 16 ODIs - with an impressive display, bowling the hosts out for 219 in 49.3 overs after losing the toss and fielding first.
England used eight bowlers and deployed 41 overs of spin on another slow wicket, where Charith Asalanka (45) and Dhananjaya de Silva (40) top-scored for Sri Lanka in a 66-run fourth-wicket stand but failed to build on an encouraging start.
Craig Overton (2-21) and Adil Rashid (2-34) both impressed in the tourists' attack, while Rehan Ahmed, Liam Dawson and Will Jacks all claimed one wicket each, with Root (2-13) taking two wickets in the final over before top-scoring for England in their chase.
Root fired 75 from 90 deliveries and put on key stands with Ben Duckett (39) and Brook (42), only for Root and Brook to be trapped lbw in quick succession by Dhananjaya (2-37) and Jeffrey Vandersay (2-45) to leave England five down and facing a nervy finish.
But Jos Buttler accelerated with 33 from 21 deliveries and put on an unbeaten stand with Jacks (eight not out), as England reached their victory target with 22 balls to spare to level the series ahead of Tuesday's decider at the same venue.
Sri Lanka started Thursday's ODI positively after winning the toss and choosing to bat but were unable to follow suit at the R Premadasa Stadium, as Kamil Mishara (five) picked out Jacks in the covers off Overton.
Pathum Nissanka tamely chipped Rashid to Jacks in the deep for 26 and Kusal Mendis - top-scoring with 93 in Sri Lanka's win on Thursday - ran himself out on the same score to leave the hosts 68-3.
A patient partnership between Dhananjaya and Asalanka ended when the former was caught by Root off Dawson, with Janith Liyanage (12) showing positive intent until Overton removed him via a brilliant low catch by Rashid.
Sri Lanka's troubles worsened when Asalanka slog-swept Rashid to Duckett in the deep and Pavan Rathnayake fell in similar fashion off Jacks, with Pramod Madushan (eight) stumped off Ahmed before Dunith Wellalage (20) and Asitha Fernando (nought) fell to Root in the final over.
England surprisingly named Ahmed as opener for the first time in international cricket, with the 21-year-old looking assured in his opening overs before being bowled by Dhananjaya for 13.
Duckett - who was given out lbw without scoring before a successful review - made a slow start but grew into his innings, putting on a 68-run stand until being bowled by Vandersay in the 17th over.
Sri Lanka's hopes were raised further when Jacob Bethell (six) picked out Asalanka in the covers off Dhananjaya to leave England 97-3, only for Root - who survived a review for lbw when on 12 - to push towards his 45th international half century inside 52 deliveries.
His 79-run partnership with Brook ended when he was pinned by an Asitha yorker and trapped lbw, with Brook falling two overs later after failing to connect with a sweep and reducing England to 189-5.
Sri Lanka's enthusiasm was quickly quashed by Buttler, who fired three fours and a six in his rapid knock, with England's former one-day captain guiding the tourists to their first away win in 50-over cricket since November 2024.
Player-of-the-match Joe Root (75 off 90 balls): "I love coming to Sri Lanka. I always feel extremely welcome and enjoy playing here so it was nice to get a win on a difficult surface.
"I don't think it was a great wicket for ODI cricket, to be brutally honest, but we found a way and learnt from our mistakes with bat and ball from the first game. I tried to take the ball as late as possible.
"I have played a lot of cricket in the subcontinent and used my experience. I understand the different nature of the bounce and how it turns but you have to be precise with your footwork early on."
England captain Harry Brook: "It was nice to get a win away from home, on a tough surface. It was probably the worst pitch I have ever played on, so you just had to adapt as quick as possible and try to get off strike.
"I thought the bowlers did an amazing job to bowl Sri Lanka out, a side used to these conditions."
Sri Lanka captain Charith Asalanka: "We were at least 30 runs short so there are a few areas we need to improve. Sometimes it is hard to push for twos with this heat and we need to save energy so I didn't notice [a lack of intent].
"England batted well in the middle period. We tried everything."
All times UK and Ireland
