Sri Lanka Complete Record-Breaking ODI Chase to Stun England in Rawalpindi
Sri Lanka produced one of the most extraordinary finishes in one-day international cricket, chasing down England’s towering 429 for four with a ball to spare to win by two wickets in Rawalpindi. The victory was the second-highest successful chase in ODI history and the biggest run chase ever completed by Sri Lanka, turning a match dominated by huge scores into a dramatic contest decided by one final six.
England captain Harry Brook had seemed to put his side firmly in control with a record-breaking 202 from 116 deliveries, the fastest double century in men’s ODI cricket. But Sri Lanka answered with a remarkable batting performance of their own. Pavan Rathnayake scored 130, Avishka Fernando made 97, and Dasun Shanaka added 97 from only 50 balls before Janith Liyanage finished unbeaten on 61 from 27 deliveries.
The result also left England with two defeats from two matches in the ongoing tri-series. For Sri Lanka, it was a statement win built on resilience, fearless strokeplay and a finish that made any pre-match cricket prediction look uncertain once the final overs began.
England’s huge total built around Brook’s historic innings
England made a steady start after being put in to bat, reaching 74 without loss before Dunith Wellalage shifted the momentum. The left-arm spinner dismissed Tom Banton for 50 and trapped Ben Duckett lbw in successive overs, leaving England needing to rebuild rather than simply accelerate.
Brook initially took time to settle at the crease, scoring 13 from his first 23 balls. Two sixes off Kamindu Mendis, however, helped unlock his innings. He and Joe Root then put on 159 for the third wicket, with Root providing stability while Brook increasingly attacked the bowlers across the ground.
Root reached 69 before falling to Asitha Fernando in the 38th over. His innings also took him past 8,000 ODI runs, another notable milestone in a match crowded with records. Brook, meanwhile, moved through the gears and reached his fourth ODI century from 81 balls.
The final 13 overs brought a staggering 185 runs. Will Jacks supplied explosive support with an unbeaten 66 from 30 balls, allowing Brook to keep attacking. Brook was dropped on 186 in the 49th over, and Sri Lanka paid for the missed opportunity as he went on to become the first England batter to score an ODI double hundred. He was caught off the final delivery of the innings, but his 202 had lifted England to 429 for four.
Sri Lanka’s chase survives an alarming start
Chasing 430 was always going to require an exceptional innings, but Sri Lanka’s opening phase made the task harder still. Josh Tongue bowled Kamindu Mendis in the fourth over, and captain Kusal Mendis was run out without facing a delivery. Gus Atkinson deflected Avishka Fernando’s drive onto the stumps at the non-striker’s end, leaving Sri Lanka at 24 for two.
Rather than let the early setbacks dictate the innings, Avishka and Rathnayake built a crucial third-wicket partnership. They added 166 from 137 balls, balancing calculated risk with attacking intent and keeping the required rate within reach. Avishka was dismissed by Jamie Overton on 97, just three runs short of a century, but the partnership had restored belief in the chase.
Rathnayake continued to control the innings, reaching his second ODI hundred from 87 deliveries. He eventually fell for 130 to Sam Curran, but by then Sri Lanka had a platform from which to launch a late assault.
Shanaka and Liyanage take the chase to the final ball
Shanaka joined Rathnayake and immediately increased the pressure on England. The pair added 133 from just 79 balls, attacking the short boundaries and forcing England’s bowlers into defensive plans. Shanaka survived two reviews that went in his favour and took particular advantage of Curran, who finished with the costly figures of two for 103 from nine overs.
Shanaka also came agonisingly close to a hundred. He struck three sixes in Curran’s next over after Rathnayake’s dismissal, but was eventually caught in the deep off Tom Banton for 97. His departure in the 44th over left Sri Lanka needing 67 from the final six overs—a demanding target, especially with wickets running out.
Liyanage, who had arrived with 107 runs still required from 58 balls, refused to let the chase stall. He took 14 from Overton’s next over and then hammered 19 from Curran’s 47th, shifting the pressure back onto England. His unbeaten 61 became the innings’ decisive contribution as Sri Lanka’s lower order tried to keep pace with the required rate.
The final over, bowled by Tongue, began with Sri Lanka needing eight runs and having four wickets in hand. Liyanage took a single from the first ball, but Tongue then bowled Dunith Wellalage and Eshan Malinga from consecutive deliveries, suddenly swinging the contest towards England. With six needed from the last two balls, Liyanage cleared the long-off boundary for six to seal the win in extraordinary fashion.
What the result means for the tri-series
The match underlined how difficult it can be to defend even an enormous total in modern ODI cricket. England’s 429 would normally be expected to put a team in a commanding position, but Sri Lanka’s middle-order partnerships and Liyanage’s late hitting exposed the risks of allowing a chase to gather momentum.
For England, Brook’s record-setting double hundred and Jacks’ late surge were not enough to secure victory. The team will need to assess how it managed the middle overs and the final stages of Sri Lanka’s chase, particularly after Rathnayake and Shanaka transformed the required rate from a daunting figure into a realistic target.
Sri Lanka, meanwhile, can take confidence from a win that demanded contributions from several batters and composure under pressure. The match also offered a reminder that cricket prediction becomes especially difficult when a side has both a high-scoring batting lineup and the nerve to pursue a record total. In Rawalpindi, Sri Lanka’s belief held firm until the last ball—and Liyanage’s final six provided a fitting finish to a classic ODI contest.
Match summary: England 429/4 in 50 overs (Harry Brook 202; Will Jacks 66 not out; Dunith Wellalage 2/56) lost to Sri Lanka 430/8 in 49.5 overs (Pavan Rathnayake 130; Avishka Fernando 97; Dasun Shanaka 97; Janith Liyanage 61 not out; Josh Tongue 3/79, Sam Curran 2/103) by two wickets.
