INCREDIBLE 2-WICKET WIN BY SRI LANKA CHASING 430 RUNS TO BEAT ENGLAND IN TRI-NATION SERIES-by Upali Obeyesekere
Sri Lanka defeated England by 2 wickets in an epic One-Day International (ODI) tri-series match at Rawalpindi, successfully chasing down a massive target of 430 runs with two balls to spare. England skipper Harry Brook hit a record-breaking 202 breaking but still ended up on the losing side after Sri Lanka chased down 430 to win an incredible game by two wickets. Sri Lanka trumped Harry Brook’s fastest ever double century with the second highest successful run chase in ODI history and handed England a second successive defeat in the tri-series on Thursday.
Brief Scores: Sri Lanka 430 for 8 (Avishka Fernando 97, Pavan Rathnayake 130, Dasun Shanaka 97, Janith Liyanage 61 not out, Tongue 3-19, beat England 429 for 4 (Harry Brook 202, Joe Root 69, Will Jacks 66 not out, Banton 50) by 2 wickets.
Rathnayake, Shanaka, Avishka Fernando, Liyanage navigate Sri Lanka’s win
Avishka Fernando, recalled for the tri-nation series since last playing an ODI in January 2025, and Pavan Rathnayake set up the strong chase with a 166-run third wicket stand after Sri Lanka lost two wickets inside the first five overs of the run chase.
Fernando missed out on a well-deserved century, but his 97-run knock off 83 balls kept Sri Lanka well in the game. Dasun Shanaka, also returning to the ODI fold after more than two years, then added another electrifying 133 runs with Rathnayake off just 79 balls as the England bowlers had no answer to the belligerence of Sri Lanka’s batters on a batting wicket.
Rathnayake completed his second ODI century and made 130 off 106 balls with 15 fours and three sixes as he brought down the target to 107 runs off the final 58 balls. He won the Player of the Match award.
But Shanaka, who twice successfully overturned decisions against him through television reviews, continued toying with England’s fast bowlers and smashed eight sixes and six boundaries with Sam Curran returning expensive figures of 2-103.
Harry Brook was the first England batter to score 200 in the ODI format. He reached the milestone from 114 deliveries, breaking the previous mark of 116 set just last month by India’s Shubman Gill. He was the first batter to score 200-plus in an inning and finishing on the losing team. Brook’s 116-ball 202 propelled England to its fourth highest ODI score of 429-4 before it ran into Sri Lanka’s super counterpunch to lose by two wickets. Needing six runs off Josh Tongue’s final two balls, Janith Liyanage lofted the fast bowler over long-off for a winning six to reach 430-8 and earn Sri Lanka their most memorable ODI victory since winning the 1996 World Cup.
Brook now holds the highest individual score by an English batter in men’s ODI cricket, surpassing Ben Stokes’ previous record of 182 against New Zealand in 2023. He also brought up his double-century from just 114 balls, breaking the previous record of 117 balls held by Shubman Gill.
“Incredible game of cricket, both teams were exceptional. They played exceptional cricket to knock off 400,” said Brook, downplaying his double hundred.
England got back in contention in the 44th over when Shanaka’s dismissal left Sri Lanka needing 67 from six overs. Janith Liyanage then smashed three sixes and seven fours in an unbeaten 61 off 27 balls as England’s attack kept leaking boundaries. With eight needed of the final over, Tongue bowled Wellalage (8) and Eshan Malinga (0) off successive balls, but Asitha Fernando denied a hat trick and gave the strike back to Liyanage to finish off.
Janith Liyanage smashed a six off the penultimate ball as Sri Lanka completed the second-highest successful run chase in ODI history, scoring 430-8 to beat England in Rawalpindi on Thursday. Needing eight to win off the last over, Sri Lanka lost two wickets to paceman Josh Tongue, but Liyanage kept his cool to achieve an astonishing victory and overshadow Harry Brook’s record-setting knock. Needing six runs off Josh Tongue’s final two balls, Liyanage lofted the fast bowler over long-off for a winning six to guide Sri Lanka to its most memorable ODI victory since winning the 1996 World Cup. Sri Lanka’s run-chase was second only to South Africa’s chase of 438-9 over Australia.
Key Highlights
- England Innings: Harry Brook smashed an explosive double-century, supported by Joe Root (69 runs). Brook scored an explosive 202 runs off 116 balls, recording the fastest ODI double century in men’s cricket history.
- Sri Lanka Chase: Sri Lanka hauled down the target of 430 with just one ball to spare, marking the second-highest successful run chase in ODI history (behind South Africa’s 438-9 against Australia in 2006).
- Top Performers for Sri Lanka: Janith Liyanage hit an unbeaten 61*—including a match-winning six off the penultimate delivery—while Pavan Rathnayake scored 130, and Avishka Fernando and Dasun Shanaka both contributed 97 runs each
- Historic Run Chase: Sri Lanka’s 430-8 marks the second-highest successful run chase in ODI history, trailing only South Africa’s 438-9 against Australia in 2006.
- The Winning Moment: Janith Liyanage smashed a six off the penultimate ball (49.5 overs) bowled by Josh Tongue to seal the win.
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