Sri Lanka’s Janith Liyanage and Asitha Fernando celebrate with teammates after winning the tri-series one-day international cricket match against England in Rawalpindi, Pakistan, on October 22, 2026.
| Photo Credit: AP
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 (October 23, 2026).
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.
Sri Lanka’s astonishing run-chase was only second behind South Africa’s 438-9 when it beat Australia by one wicket at Johannesburg in 2006.
“Incredible game of cricket, both teams were exceptional,” Brook said. “Sri Lanka just outplayed us. They played exceptional cricket to knock off 400.”
Rathnayake, Shanaka and Fernando star
Avishka Fernando, recalled for the tri-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 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 before holing out to long-on.
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.
England sneaked back in the 44th over when Shanaka missed out on a deserved century and was caught at long-on and left Sri Lanka needing 67 off the final six overs.
Dunith Liyanage then smashed three sixes and seven fours and scored a brisk unbeaten 61 off 27 balls as England kept on conceding boundaries.
With eight needed of the final over, Tongue uprooted the middle stumps of Wellalage and Eshan Malinga off successive balls but Asitha Fernando denied the fast bowler a hat trick and gave the strike back to Liyanage to finish off the game with a big hit.
“We chased very well today, I enjoyed it as captain,” said Sri Lanka skipper Kusal Mendis, who was run out for duck at the non-striker’s end without facing a ball. “Me and coach spoke to the batters and said to play the first couple of overs normally … everyone believed we can do it.”
Brook’s double century
Brook needed 114 balls for the double ton and holed out two balls later for 202 off the final ball of England’s innings after captain Kusal Mendis won his fifth successive toss on the tour of Pakistan and elected to field.
Brook reached his first century off 75 balls with a ramped boundary over fine leg. He then reached 150 with a similar shot, and took 39 balls to hit the second century, reached with a paddle sweep against Janith Liyanage in the final over.
“It was a nice innings but being on the losing side it has no value whatsoever in my eyes,” Brook said. “We got to get back to the drawing board a little bit, and we have an opportunity in the next couple of games to nail down a place in the final.”
Brook’s effort was two balls less than Shubman Gill’s record of 116 balls which the Indian made against West Indies at Guwahati last month.
Joe Root (69), Will Jacks (66 not out) and Tom Banton (50) also contributed to England’s monster total after being sent in.
Sri Lanka fast bowlers Malinga (0-91) and Dilshan Madushanka (0-89) were blazed all around Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium while Shanaka was smacked for 74 off his six overs.
Left-arm spinner Wellalage returned with somewhat respectable figures of 2-56, but the seamers went for plenty as Brook and Jacks added a rapid 156 runs in the final 10 overs.
The tournament now moves to Lahore where England, which lost to Pakistan by 87 runs in the first match, takes on unbeaten Pakistan in the return game on Sunday
Published – October 23, 2026 03:51 am IST
