England skipper Harry Brook delivered a withering verdict on the playing surface at the R Premadasa Stadium following his side's second ODI triumph against Sri Lanka in Colombo.
The 26-year-old did not hold back during the post-match presentation, describing conditions as the poorest he has encountered in his career.
"The pitch is probably the worst pitch I've ever played on," Brook stated.
He explained that batters were forced to adjust rapidly and focus on rotating the strike rather than playing freely.
"You had to go out there and adapt as quickly as possible and try to get off strike and get the other batter on strike," the captain added.
England secured a five-wicket victory after successfully reaching their target of 220 at the Colombo venue, with Joe Root's 75 proving decisive.
The spin-dominated contest saw England deliver 40.3 overs of slow bowling, establishing a new record for the most spin overs bowled by the team in a one-day international.
England skipper Harry Brook delivered a withering verdict on the playing surface at the R Premadasa Stadium following his side's second ODI triumph against Sri Lanka in Colombo
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This surpassed their previous high of 36 overs against Pakistan in Sharjah back in 1985.
The surface offered significantly more assistance to spinners than the opening match, with turn increasing by 15 per cent from 3.15 degrees to 3.62 degrees.
England deployed six spinners during the match, a first in the format for the tourists.
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Root himself acknowledged the challenging nature of the wicket, offering a candid assessment of conditions.
"It was a very difficult surface," Root said, adding that it was "not a good wicket for ODI cricket if I'm being brutally honest."
Brook reserved his highest praise for his fellow Yorkshireman, whose composed innings proved crucial to England's successful chase.
Root's footwork, concentration and skill in reading the Sri Lankan spinners made him the standout performer as England navigated the turning ball.
"He is an awesome player and his ability to get off strike and put the bad ball away when they slightly miss is awesome," Brook said. "Joe is a phenomenal player to have in our side."
England star Harry Brook was happy with his side's victory over Sri Lanka
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Brook also commended his bowling attack for their performance on the demanding surface, which brought an end to a lengthy barren spell in the format.
The victory marked England's first win in 12 one-day internationals, with the captain describing his bowlers' efforts as exceptional.
"The bowlers did an amazing job," Brook said.
Despite the difficult conditions, the England captain expressed satisfaction at claiming victory away from home on such an unforgiving pitch.
"It's nice to get a win away from home on a tough surface - we are happy to get the victory," he concluded.