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Bangladesh cricket chiefs have reopened the door for ex-captain Shakib Al Hasan’s return, a star player but who was also a lawmaker in the former ruling party overthrown in a 2024 uprising.Shakib’s links to ousted leader Sheikh Hasina made him a target of public anger, and he was among dozens facing murder investigations for a deadly police crackdown on protesters.The all-rounder announced his retirement from international cricket in 2024, but said he would like to reverse that decision last month.Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) senior official Amzad Hossain said he could play again.”The board has taken a unanimous decision that if Shakib Al Hasan’s availability, fitness and accessibility allow it — and if he can be present at the venue where matches are played — then the board and the selection panel will consider him for the national team,” Hossain told reporters late Saturday.He added that the BCB would issue Shakib no-objection certificates (NOC) to play in overseas leagues.”If he wants to participate in other global tournaments, the board will provide him NOC as required,” Amzad added.Shakib had earlier apologised for remaining silent during the student-led uprising but defended his decision to serve the regime it toppled.Bangladesh cricket is reeling from being kicked out of next month’s T20 World Cup, after the International Cricket Council (ICC) on Saturday replaced Bangladesh with Scotland.The BCB had refused to send its players to India and pleaded for games to be shifted to co-host Sri Lanka. The dispute between New Delhi and Dhaka erupted this month when the Indian cricket board ordered the Indian Premier League franchise Kolkata Knight Riders to release Bangladesh fast bowler Mustafizur Rahman.The ICC said it had found no credible security threat to Bangladesh in India, but the BCB said the matter was beyond their control.”This is a government decision taken on security grounds,” Amzad said. “Because of that, there was nothing more we could do.”Shakib was playing in a domestic Twenty20 cricket competition in Canada when Hasina’s government collapsed and has not returned to Bangladesh since.The left-arm allrounder has played 71 Tests, 247 one-day internationals and 129 Twenty20s for Bangladesh, taking a combined 712 wickets.

India’s Bollywood is moving decisively towards a cinema of scale and confrontation — where patriotism, spectacle, and ideological clarity increasingly trump nuance and narrative risk, industry insiders say.The shift has fuelled what experts describe as “event cinema”, as studios rely on big-budget spectacles and top-tier stars to lure audiences — especially smartphone-loving Gen Z viewers — back into theatres.That strategy appears to be working. Akshaye Rathi, a prominent film exhibitor, predicted a 45–50 percent rise in net Hindi box-office collections and a 25 percent increase in young theatre-goers this year.”The year looks poised for historic numbers,” Rathi told AFP.The industry’s financial model was shaken during the Covid-19 pandemic, which coincided with the rapid rise of streaming platforms and a shift to home viewing.But its 2026 upcoming slate, packed with patriotic war dramas, spy thrillers, mythological epics and nationalist narratives — reflects not just a commercial recalibration, analysts say, but a broader change in creative priorities.- ‘Propaganda’ -Critics argue Bollywood is increasingly producing polarising films aligned with the ideology of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Hindu-nationalist government, using cinema’s unrivalled mass reach to shape public sentiment.”These days film themes also depend upon who is ruling at the centre — Hindu wave, propaganda… all these are big factors that filmmakers cash in on,” said movie business analyst Atul Mohan, editor of film trade magazine Complete Cinema. “But only one or two films work, not all 10 or 15.”He cited the success of 2022 blockbuster “The Kashmir Files”, depicting in harrowing detail how several hundred thousand Hindus fled Muslim militants in Indian-administered Kashmir in 1989-90.And he compared that with the 2025 film “The Bengal Files”, on alleged political violence in eastern India, which he described as a commercial “disaster”.Films centred on geopolitical conflict, internal enemies, and heroic masculinity now dominate mainstream Hindi cinema, reflecting both the political mood and the economics of theatrical survival.Last year’s gory action thriller “Dhurandhar”, meaning “formidable”, leaned heavily on hyper-nationalist tropes of Indian agents confronting Pakistan-linked foes, and became one of 2025’s highest-grossing films — following a real-life four-day border clash with Pakistan.Its sequel, “Dhurandhar 2″, again starring Ranveer Singh, is set for release in March.- ‘Gratuitous violence’ -Veteran Delhi-based film critic Arnab Banerjee said political messaging now outweighs craftsmanship.”It is not the quality of the film that matters today, it is propaganda films that are working,” said Banerjee.”The mood of the nation is such that people are lapping up these subjects. Pakistan-bashing and references to enemy countries are being accepted without questioning.”Banerjee also criticised what he called an excess of “gratuitous violence”, arguing that “it is social media hype that is deciding the film’s fate.”He pointed to “Ikkis”, a film on the 1971 India–Pakistan war released in January, which struggled commercially despite positive reviews.”It is a well-made film, but it didn’t work,” he said. “Perhaps because Pakistan is not shown as the enemy.”Director Ahmed Khan, however, said quality still ultimately determines success, citing his upcoming action-comedy “Welcome to the Jungle”, starring Akshay Kumar.”Whatever the genre — action, drama, comedy or horror — it depends on how well you’ve made it,” Khan said.He pointed to the 2025 successes of the contrasting romantic drama “Saiyaara” as well as high-octane “Dhurandhar”.”Both, poles apart in genre, did great business,” he said. “People’s mood can change any time.”

The race for green energy is on. India, driven by soaring electricity demand and a push to reduce reliance on China, is rapidly producing solar panels, fuelling a booming yet uncertain market.At the Adani Group’s factory in Mundra, in India’s western state of Gujarat, assembly lines churn out photovoltaic panels around the clock.Up to 10,000 a day come off the line, with most sent straight to Khavda, further north, where the Indian conglomerate is finishing what will be the world’s largest solar park.But Adani Solar’s CEO, Muralee Krishnan, says operations are “actually lagging”.”Our capacity needs to be fully used — we should work 48 hours a day.”The intensity is matched by other major producers in the world’s most populous nation.At the Tata conglomerate factory in Tirunelveli, in the southern state of Tamil Nadu, 4,000 mostly women employees also work non-stop shifts.”They operate 24/7, so you get better yield, better efficiency, better productivity,” said Praveer Sinha, CEO of Tata Power.”You cannot stop the production line… there is a rush to produce to maximise the output.”With the twin imperatives of development and lower carbon emissions, India has set itself ambitious renewable energy targets.Last year, it said half its electricity-generation capacity was now “green”, five years ahead of the timeline set in the Paris Agreement on lowering emissions.But 75 percent of electricity is still generated by coal-fired power plants, with inflexible operations and long-term coal power purchase agreements hampering renewable uptake.- ‘Make in India’ -There are signs of change.Last year, coal-fired power generation fell three percent, only the second full-year drop recorded in half a decade, according to the Centre for Research on Energy and Clean Air.Renewable capacity of 230 gigawatts (GW) is set to rise to 500 GW by 2030, including 280 GW of solar.But Prime Minister Narendra Modi has placed another constraint on the industry: “Make in India.”That means there is no question of importing solar panels from China, which supplies 90 percent of the world’s market.All public tenders require “local” production, which India supports with substantial subsidies that have attracted big businesses.Tata, a pioneer in solar panels since the 1990s, has been joined by Adani and Reliance, which have built state-of-the-art, highly automated factories.”The quality of the product is very, very critical,” said Ashish Khanna, CEO Adani Green Energy.”When you are building a project of this size, you also need to be very reassured of the supply chain. We cannot have a disruption or interruption in that particular process.” But for now, the technology and raw materials still come from China.And Beijing has complained to the World Trade Organization over the subsidies and restrictions on its solar panels.The solar push is so intense that Adani is considering silicon mining to secure a key raw material, company insiders say, and there are suggestions Tata Power is eyeing in-house silicon-wafer production.- ‘A huge market’ -Growth in the sector is already staggering, with solar manufacturing capacity expected to soon exceed 125 GW, according to consultancy Wood Mackenzie said.But that is triple current domestic demand, according to Wood Mackenzie analyst Yana Hryshko.Government incentives have “been highly effective in spurring factory announcements, but the industry is now seeing warning signs of rapid overcapacity”, Hryshko said in a report last year.The sector’s long-term sustainability may therefore depend on exports, with some companies already targeting global markets.”Solar is a huge market: the world will see it doubling, from 2,000 GW to 4,000 GW in four years,” said Ashish Khanna, head of the International Solar Alliance. “The question is now — will Indian manufacturers be globally competitive compared to China?” Tejpreet Chopra, from the private power company Bharat Light and Power, points out that “the problem is that it’s cheaper to import from China than to buy local”.And the level of manufacturing in China “is so much higher that it’s very difficult to match”, he added.The sector also faces “geopolitical” headwinds from US President Donald Trump’s tariffs, with Chopra adding that they make it “very difficult to sell to the United States”.Despite these challenges, the head of Tata Power, which does not yet export, remains convinced his business has a bright future.”We strongly believe,” said Praveer Sinha, “that solar will play a very important role in the renewable space of India.”

Snow and heavy rain have killed 61 people in Afghanistan in the past three days, disaster officials said on Saturday, with a major road and power also cut in several provinces.The deaths occurred mainly in central and northern provinces between Wednesday and Friday, according to a map released by Afghanistan’s disaster management authority (ANDMA).The “initial figures of casualties and destruction” also include 110 injured people and 458 houses that were either partially or fully destroyed, ANDMA said on social media platform X.A total of 360 families were affected, said a spokesman who asked people in a video message to avoid unnecessary travel on snowy roads.The spokesman also told AFP that most of the casualties were caused by roof collapses and avalanches, while many also died from frostbite in sub-zero temperatures.The emergency department in the southern province of Kandahar said six children were killed when the roof of their home collapsed in strong wind and heavy rain on Wednesday.Houses were also damaged in other districts.- Major highway cut -The Salang highway, one of Afghanistan’s main roads, has been closed, authorities in Parwan province north of Kabul said. The highway is a vital connection to Afghanistan’s northern provinces.Food supplies were also distributed to travellers stuck on a mountain pass in central Bamyan province, west of the capital.A transmission line importing electricity from Uzbekistan was also damaged on Thursday, leaving households in almost 12 provinces without power.”The technical teams are ready but cannot reach the area because of the blockage of Salang pass,” said Mohammad Sadiq, the spokesman for Afghanistan’s national power utility DABS.The heavy snow and rain also destroyed shops and killed livestock in different parts of the predominantly rural country.”Snow and rain, when managed properly, contribute positively to Afghanistan’s environment and livelihoods,” the Kabul Times daily wrote in an editorial.”However, without sufficient preparation and timely intervention, these natural phenomena can quickly turn into sources of tragedy,” it said.Around half of Afghanistan’s population of more than 40 million people will need humanitarian assistance this year, according to the United Nations, after a sharp drop in foreign assistance in recent years.Natural disasters such as earthquakes and drought also often compound the daily struggle to survive.

England rang the changes and spun a web around Sri Lanka, bowling the hosts out for a modest 219 in 49.3 overs in the second one-day international of the three-match series on Saturday.With their backs to the wall and the series on the line, England beefed up their spin arsenal and the move proved a masterstroke.After after the hosts chose to bat first, wickets fell at regular intervals as Sri Lanka struggled to build momentum, eventually folding with three balls to spare.After just nine overs of seam at Colombo’s R. Premadasa Stadium, it was spin almost all the way. England rolled out six slow bowling options, with part-timer Joe Root turning out to be an unlikely trump card. His off-spin accounted for two wickets.No Sri Lankan batter managed to convert a start into a half-century on a surface that offered sharp turn. Forced to manufacture shots, the hosts took too many risks, while England’s fielders snapped up chances to back up the bowlers’ work.Although the total appeared below par on paper, the pitch should remain a handful. Wit Sri Lanka boasting a deep spin attack of their own, England’s innings is likely to hinge on old-fashioned virtues — finding gaps, running hard and resisting the temptation to go aerial, a tactic that proved costly for several Sri Lankan batters.Captain Charith Asalanka top-scored with 45 in a nervy stay, his innings ending when a slog-sweep failed to clear deep mid-wicket. Kusal Mendis looked fluent during his 26, using his feet well against spin, but threw his wicket away with a run-out.Sri Lanka  carry a formidable home record, having remained unbeaten in ODI series at home over the last five years. In that period, they have played 12 home series, winning 11 and drawing one, with spin bowling doing much of the heavy lifting in those successes.

India and Europe hope to strike the “mother of all deals” when EU chiefs meet Prime Minister Narendra Modi in New Delhi next week, as the two economic behemoths seek to forge closer ties.Facing challenges from China and the United States, India and the European Union have been negotiating a massive free trade pact — and talks, first launched about two decades ago, are nearing the finishing line.”We are on the cusp of a historic trade agreement,” European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said this week.Von der Leyen and European Council president Antonio Costa will attend Republic Day celebrations Monday before an EU-India summit Tuesday, where they hope to shake hands on the accord.Securing a pact described by India’s Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal as “the mother of all deals”, would be a major win for Brussels and New Delhi as both seek to open up new markets in the face of US tariffs and Chinese export controls.But officials have been eager to stress there is more to it than commerce.”The EU and India are moving closer together at the time when the rules-based international order is under unprecedented pressure through wars, coercion and economic fragmentation,” the EU’s top diplomat, Kaja Kallas said Wednesday. – ‘Untapped potential’ -Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and US President Donald Trump’s punitive tariffs have brought momentum to the relationship between India and the EU, said Praveen Donthi, of the International Crisis Group think tank.”The EU eyes the Indian market and aims to steer a rising power like India away from Russia, while India seeks to diversify its partnerships, doubling down on its strategy of multi-alignment at a time when its relations with the US have taken a downward turn,” he said. The summit will offer Brussels the chance to turn the page after a bruising transatlantic crisis over Greenland — now seemingly defused.Together the EU and India account for about a quarter of the world’s population and GDP.Bilateral trade in goods reached 120 billion euros ($139 billion) in 2024, an increase of nearly 90 percent over the past decade, according to EU figures, with a further 60 billion euros ($69 billion) in trade in services.But both parties are eager to do more. “India still accounts for around only around 2.5 percent of total EU trade in goods, compared with close to 15 percent for China,” an EU official said, adding the figure gave a sense of the “untapped potential” an agreement could unlock.EU makers of cars, machinery and chemicals have much to gain from India lowering entry barriers, said Ignacio Garcia Bercero, an analyst at Brussels think tank Bruegel, who led EU trade talks with New Delhi over a decade ago.”India is one of the most heavily protected economies in the world, with very, very high tariffs, including on many products where the European Union has a competitive advantage,” he told AFP. Its economy in the doldrums, the 27-member EU is also pushing to ease exports of spirits and wines and strengthen intellectual property rules.India — the fastest‑growing major economy in the world — wants easier market access for products such as textiles and pharmaceuticals. – Defence pact -EU officials were tight-lipped about the deal’s contents as negotiations are ongoing.But agriculture, a sensitive topic in both India and Europe, is likely to play a limited role, with New Delhi eager to protect its dairy and grain sectors.Talks are focusing on a few sticking points, including the impact of the EU’s carbon border tax on steel exports and safety and quality standards in the pharmaceutical and automotive sectors, according to people familiar with the discussions. Still EU officials said they were confident negotiations could be concluded in time for the summit. An accord on mobility to facilitate movement for seasonal workers, students, researchers and highly skilled professionals, is also on the menu, alongside a security and defence pact.The latter envisages closer cooperation in areas including maritime security, cybersecurity and counter-terrorism, an EU official said. It is also a “precondition” for the possible joint production of military equipment, said a second EU official. New Delhi, which has relied on Moscow for decades for key military hardware, has tried to cut its dependence on Russia in recent years by diversifying imports and pushing its own domestic manufacturing base. Europe is doing the same vis-a-vis the US. “We’re ready to open a new chapter in EU-India relationships, and really to unlock what we think is the transformative potential of this partnership,” said another EU official. 

Bangladesh is preparing for the first election since the overthrow of Sheikh Hasina, but supporters of her banned Awami League (AL) are struggling to decide whether to shift their allegiance. In Gopalganj, south of the capital Dhaka and a strong bastion of Hasina’s iron-grip rule, residents are grappling with an election without the party that shaped their political lives for decades. “Sheikh Hasina may have done wrong — she and her friends and allies — but what did the millions of Awami League supporters do?” said tricycle delivery driver Mohammad Shahjahan Fakir, 68, adding that he would not vote.”Why won’t the ‘boat’ symbol be there on the ballot paper?” he said, referring to AL’s former election icon.The Muslim-majority nation of 170 million people will hold elections on February 12, its first since the uprising.Hasina, who crushed opposition parties during her rule, won landslide victories in Gopalganj in every election since 1991.After a failed attempt to cling to power and a brutal crackdown on protesters, she was ousted as prime minister in August 2024 and fled to India.She was sentenced to death in absentia for crimes against humanity by a court in Dhaka in November, and her former ruling party, once the country’s most popular, has been outlawed.Human Rights Watch has condemned the AL ban as “draconian”.”There’s so much confusion right now,” said Mohammad Shafayet Biswas, 46, a banana and betel leaf seller in Gopalganj.”A couple of candidates are running from this constituency — I don’t even know who they are.”As a crowd gathered in the district, one man shouted: “Who is going to the polling centres? We don’t even have our candidates this time.”- ‘Dehumanise’ -Hasina’s father, Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, the founding president of Bangladesh, hailed from Gopalganj and is buried in the town.Statues of Rahman have been torn down nationwide, but in Gopalganj, murals and statues are well-maintained.Since Hasina’s downfall, clashes have broken out during campaigning by other parties, including one between police and AL supporters in July 2025, after which authorities filed more than 8,000 cases against residents.Sazzad Siddiqui, a professor at Dhaka University, believes voter turnout in Gopalganj could be the lowest in the country.”Many people here are still in denial that Sheikh Hasina did something very wrong,” said Siddiqui, who sat on a government commission formed after the 2025 unrest.”At the same time, the government has constantly tried to dehumanise them.”This time, frontrunners include candidates from the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) and Jamaat-e-Islami, the country’s largest Islamist party.Both are from Hasina’s arch-rivals, now eyeing power. “I am going door to door,” BNP candidate S.M Zilany, 57, told AFP, saying many would-be voters had never had a candidate canvass for their backing.”I promise them I will stand by them.” Zilany said he had run twice against Hasina — and was struck down by 34 legal cases he claimed had been politically motivated.This time, he said that there was “a campaign to discourage voters from turning up”.Jamaat candidate M.M Rezaul Karim, 53, said that under Hasina, the party had been driven underground.”People want a change in leadership,” Karim told AFP, saying he was open to all voters, whatever their previous loyalties.”We believe in coexistence; those involved in crimes should be punished; others must be spared,” Karim said. Those once loyal to Hasina appear disillusioned.Some say they had abandoned the AL, but remain unsure whom to support.”I am not going to vote,” said one woman, who asked not to be named.”Who should I vote for except Hasina? She is like a sister.”

Children sliding around on plastic bags, boys engaging in lively snowball fights, and families taking selfies on white-covered streets: residents of Kabul rejoiced on Friday at the long-awaited first snowfall of the winter.Snow usually comes to the Afghan capital in December, but its six million inhabitants are increasingly feeling the effects of climate change, which has brought rising temperatures and water shortages that have disrupted daily life.”In recent years, snow in Kabul has felt like nothing less than a blessing,” 22-year-old Rukhsar Adel told AFP.She and her family eagerly checked the weather forecast the night before and felt “happy and relieved” when white flakes started to fall on Thursday morning.Kabul may run out of ground water by as early as 2030 due to climate change and rapid urbanisation, studies show.A United Nations projection also indicates that nearly half of Kabul’s boreholes — the primary source of drinking water for residents — are already dry.”More than half of the winter had already passed without snowfall. People became worried and even prayed for snow,” Adel said.- Hope for water -“We all need water, and there is a lack of water in Kabul,” said 32-year-old Hekmatullah Ahady, adding that a 100-meter-deep (330-foot) well at his house dried up last year.He said he hoped the snow would help to replenish water levels and make it easier for his family to get water.Plus, he said, seeing the city blanketed in white was “so nice”, even though his commute to work took longer.Severe storms and heavy rains have killed at least 16 people, including children, across Afghanistan in the last three days, officials have said, though there have been no reported casualties in Kabul.Heavy snow both in the provinces and the capital has caused traffic accidents, with rescue teams mobilised all night to give assistance, according to the National Disaster Management Authority.In a change from Kabul’s traffic-clogged streets, people enjoyed a rare dose of quiet as some drivers left their cars unused.Boys took full advantage, hurling snowballs at each other along roadsides and in alleys, while small crowds gathered at street stalls to buy warm soup or coffee.

Rusted nails hold used infusion tubes on the wall of a clinic run by one among hundreds of thousands of unqualified doctors operating across Pakistan.Dozens of patients visit the small roadside shop each day in the southern Sindh province, where a few chairs are arranged around wooden tables used to lay patients down. “These patients have faith in me. They believe I can treat them well,” said Abdul Waheed, who opened the facility a few months ago outside Hyderabad city. During the day, the 48-year-old works at a private hospital in Hyderabad. In the evenings, he comes to the village of Tando Saeed Khan to see patients at his clinic, charging 300 rupees ($1) per consultation. “I have spent so much time in this field. I have worked with several doctors. Thanks to God, I have confidence to diagnose a patient and treat the disease,” Waheed told AFP. There is no signboard, no registration number, and he has no legal authorisation to practise as a doctor.Waheed, who has a diploma in homeopathy and has completed a four-year nursing course, speaks with confidence.After examining two young children, he insisted that patients come to him willingly and trust his abilities.”No one has questioned me yet. If someone comes, I will see what to do,” he said, reflecting the ease with which unqualified individuals practise medicine in Pakistan.Such unlicensed clinics are often the first, and sometimes the only, point of care for poor communities.- Dangerously reusing equipment – Abdul Ghafoor Shoro, secretary general of the Pakistan Medical Association, said there are “more than 600,000 fake doctors” operating across Pakistan. This nationwide figure has been confirmed by the Sindh Healthcare Commission (SHCC), based on estimates from the Pakistan Medical and Dental Council.Calling the practise a public health epidemic, Shoro said that such practitioners work with doctors, learn a few things there, and then open their own clinics. “Unqualified doctors don’t know the side effects and exact dosage of medicines. If a disease is not properly diagnosed, it can become dangerous,” Shoro said. “The instruments they use are not sterilised. They simply wash them with water and continue using them. They reuse syringes, which increases the spread of hepatitis and AIDS.” As AFP journalists visited Tando Saeed Khan, another unqualified doctor immediately closed his clinic and disappeared.Outside Waheed’s shop, villager Ali Ahmed said there are multiple such clinics in the area.”None of them have qualified doctors. People aren’t educated and can’t recognise qualified doctors,” the 31-year-old told AFP. – Lifelong damage -Medical experts say this unchecked practise has a direct impact on Pakistan’s already strained healthcare system, with tertiary care hospitals overwhelmed by patients whose conditions worsen after improper treatment. Khalid Bukhari, the head of Civil Hospital Karachi, said the facility regularly receives such cases from across the country. “They misdiagnose and mistreat patients. Our hospital is overloaded. Most of the cases we receive are those ruined by them,” said Bukhari, whose public hospital is one of the largest in the country. “These people are playing with the lives of poor citizens. If people go to proper doctors and receive precise treatment, they will not need to come to us.” Regulatory authorities acknowledge their failure to control the problem.  “We have limited resources. This practise cannot be eliminated easily. If we shut down 25 outlets, 25 new ones open the very next day,” said Ahson Qavi Siddiqi, the head of Sindh HealthCare Commission (SHCC).The commission recently sealed a bungalow in Karachi that had been operating as a hospital — complete with intensive care units for children and adults — because it was unregistered. “The law against it is weak. We file cases, but the accused get bail the next day because it is a bailable offence,” Siddiqi told AFP. The official also described serious security threats faced by inspection teams.”These people are influential in their areas. In many cases, our teams are taken hostage. We are fired upon. I don’t have the force to take strong action,” the SHCC head said.Shoro said the practise also financially destroys families who are left with big hospital bills when something goes wrong. “Many people die or become disabled, and their families suffer for the rest of their lives.”

Sri Lanka’s spinners turned the screws to script a hard-fought 19-run victory over England in the opening one-day international at Colombo’s R. Premadasa Stadium on Thursday.Set 272 for victory, England appeared to be cruising at 129-1 with Ben Duckett and Joe Root stroking the ball sweetly and the asking rate firmly under control.But once the 117-run stand was broken, Sri Lanka dried up the runs and England faltered with the bat, being bowled out for 252 in the final over.”It was a good game of cricket, but we need to keep improving. Our spinners did a terrific job. We knew it would start turning after the 30th over and batting would become a challenge,” Sri Lanka captain Charith Asalanka said.Duckett’s attempted reverse sweep brought Sri Lanka back into the game as he was ruled leg before to Jeffrey Vandersay. However, it was Root’s dismissal that truly changed the complexion of the contest.The former England Test captain, a perennial thorn in Sri Lanka’s side with imposing averages of 61 in ODIs and 62 in Tests against them, misjudged a sweep off part-time spinner Dhananjaya de Silva.Sri Lanka reviewed instantly, the on-field decision was overturned and the roar from the Premadasa stands said it all.With the required rate climbing north of eight an over, England were forced into risk mode.Harry Brook and Jacob Bethell both paid the price, brilliantly stumped by Kusal Mendis, with Brook undone off a wide by his opposite number Asalanka.Jamie Overton injected late drama with a muscular 34 off 17 balls, adding 39 for the last wicket with Adil Rashid, but it proved too steep a hill to climb and he was the final wicket to fall.Sri Lanka’s fielders matched their bowlers stride for stride, with De Silva and Dunith Wellalage pulling off stunning catches to keep the pressure relentless.- Mendis holds Sri Lanka together -Earlier, Mendis had been the glue that held Sri Lanka’s innings together after England’s leg-spin pair of Adil Rashid and Rehan Ahmed reduced the hosts to 124 for four.Battling cramps but showing sharp game awareness, Mendis rotated the strike cleverly and punished anything loose.He added 88 runs for the fifth wicket with Janith Liyanage, who made 46.Mendis was on 92 at the start of the final over and watched from the non-striker’s end as Wellalage stole the limelight, launching three fours and a six in a blistering 25 not out from 12 balls as the last over bowled by Overton yielded 23.That proved crucial as it dragged the hosts to 271-6 from their 50 overs.”Sri Lanka outplayed us,” England captain Harry Brook said.”We thought we could chase it and we were in a good position, but with the asking rate climbing it became difficult. It’s hard to start and someone needed to go on and finish the job.”The teams meet again at the same stadium on Saturday for the second game of the three-match series.