Joe Root has once again etched his name into cricket history, reaching a milestone no England batter had ever achieved in one-day internationals.

The former captain delivered the landmark moment with a typically composed century on a challenging surface.

Root’s knock not only anchored England’s innings but also placed him in a category of his own among English ODI greats.

Joe Root becomes the first England player to reach 20 ODI centuries
Joe Root reached a historic landmark by scoring an unbeaten 111 from 108 balls in the third ODI against Sri Lanka. That innings took him to 20 career ODI centuries, making him the first England cricketer to ever reach that figure in the format.

The achievement further underlined Root’s longevity and consistency at the highest level. England’s next closest player on the list is Eoin Morgan, who finished his ODI career with 13 centuries, highlighting just how far Root has pulled clear.

Root’s latest hundred was built on patience and control rather than power, guiding England through key phases of the innings and reinforcing his reputation as one of the most reliable run-scorers in world cricket.

Joe Root reflects on England’s win and team progress
Speaking after the match, Root was quick to shift the focus away from individual records and toward the collective performance.

“It was obviously great to be out there. The way Beth [Jacob Bethell] played, and then Harry [Brook] coming in and taking the game on like that, was fantastic. It shows his versatility, the contrast between the way he played the other night and today,” Root said.

He added, “It also shows what we’re capable of as a 50-over team. It’s a really good step forward for this group after a slightly tough period, especially away from home.It’s a really good step forward for this group after a slightly tough period, especially away from home.