Ollie Pope, acting as England's captain in place of the injured Ben Stokes, reflected on a disappointing defeat to Sri Lanka at the Kia Oval, admitting that his team 'shot themselves in the foot' due to poor batting performance. After a promising start, England collapsed from 261-3 to 325 all out in the first innings and then fell to 156 all out in the second, allowing Sri Lanka to chase down a target of 219 with ease, led by Pathum Nissanka's unbeaten century. Despite winning the series 2-1, the defeat ended England's hopes of a perfect home season and underscored their batting frailties. Pope noted that there was no lack of desire from the players, but acknowledged that mistakes were made, particularly on Day 3, which proved crucial. The match also raised concerns about player fitness, with injuries to key bowlers affecting performance. England will now shift focus to upcoming white-ball series against Australia and a tour of Pakistan.