England post 74-run opening partnership against Sri Lanka in ODI tri-series

England's openers Ben Duckett and Tom Banton posted a 74-run partnership against Sri Lanka in their ODI tri-series match in Rawalpindi, according to BBC.

Sri Lanka won the toss and chose to bowl first. Duckett was eventually trapped lbw by Dunith Wellalage for 29 runs from 39 balls. Banton hit a half-century before being dismissed. 

Joe Root and Harry Brook built a partnership, with Root reaching 25 from 30 balls and Brook scoring 26 from 27 balls. Brook hit consecutive sixes off Kamindu Mendis and later added a single to his tally. England's wait for a boundary continued until Joe Root whipped Dasun Shanaka through mid-wicket and sent a second shot closer to mid-on, bbc.com reported.

The match is part of an ODI tri-series also featuring Pakistan. England made two changes to their team, with Tongue and Dawson replacing Baker and Rashid.

Former England fast bowler Steven Finn and former England bowler Alex Hartley provided commentary on the match for BBC Test Match Special.

In the context of ODI cricket, there have been discussions about introducing a league or championship system to make matches more meaningful. The current tri-series format features three teams competing in a round-robin style, with the team accumulating the most points declared the winner.