England and Sri Lanka clashed in the third game of the ongoing ODI tri-series on October 22, 2026, in Rawalpindi. The tri-series also features hosts from Pakistan. Sri Lanka captain Kusal Mendis won the toss and chose to bowl first.
Tom Banton made 50 and added 74 runs for the opening wicket with Ben Duckett (29). Then Joe Root (69) and Harry Brook added 159 runs for the third wicket. Captain Harry Brook continued the assault after Root’s dismissal as well, with Will Jacks for partner. Jacks made 66* off 30 balls, but it was captain Brook who became the first Englishman to hit a double-century in ODI cricket.
Brook made 202 in 116 balls with 21 fours and 10 sixes to his name, as he powered England to 429/4 in 50 overs. Brook also broke Shubman Gill's record for the fastest double ton in ODIs, getting to the mark in 114 balls versus Gill's record of 117 balls.
Sri Lanka was given slim to no chances to chase the 430-run target. Kamindu Mendis made 16, and captain Kusal Mendis got run out for a duck, but Sri Lankan batters continued to score runs at a brisk pace.
Avishka Fernando made 97 in 83 balls with 11 fours and 2 sixes, while Dasun Shanaka gave a real impetus to the chase with 97 in 50 balls with 6 fours and 8 sixes.
Pavan Rathanayake held the innings together with a sublime 130 with 15 fours and 3 sixes. However, in the end, it all came down to Janith Liyanage, who slammed 61* in just 27 balls with 7 fours and 3 sixes to take Sri Lanka past the finishing line.
Liyanage hit a six off the penultimate ball of the last over of the Lankan innings to win the game by 2 wickets. With this, Sri Lanka completed the second-highest successful run chase in ODI history, just behind South Africa’s 438/9 against Australia. They also became the third team after South Africa and India to chase 400-plus totals in ODIs.
Pavan Ratnayake won the Player of the Match award for his brilliant ton; however, England captain Harry Brook earned the unwanted record for the highest individual score in a failed chase, bettering Zimbabwe’s Charles Coventry’s 194*. Brook’s double ton is also the first one to come in a defeat in ODIs.
The cricket fraternity were all praiseful of the brilliant batting effort by the Sri Lankan team in their record chase and lauded them on social media.
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