Sri Lanka secured a thrilling two-wicket victory over England in a high-scoring One Day International (ODI) match held in Rawalpindi on Thursday, successfully chasing a formidable target of 430 runs. This win marked the second-highest successful run chase in ODI history.
England, having been put into bat first, posted a total of 429 for four wickets, spearheaded by captain Harry Brook’s record-breaking performance. Brook became the first Englishman to score a double century in an ODI, reaching 202 runs off 116 balls, which also stands as the fastest double century in ODI cricket history. His innings included 10 sixes and 21 fours, helping England post their first-ever 400-plus ODI total in Pakistan. Despite Brook’s historic effort, England’s bowlers were unable to defend the target.
In response, Sri Lanka’s chase was anchored by impressive contributions from Pavan Rathnayake and Dasun Shanaka. Rathnayake scored 130, while Shanaka added 97 runs; both played pivotal roles in building Sri Lanka’s innings. Additionally, Avishka Fernando was influential, also scoring 97 runs. The partnership between Rathnayake and Avishka yielded 166 runs for the third wicket, before Rathnayake and Shanaka accelerated the run rate with a 133-run partnership off just 79 balls. Rathnayake’s knock featured 15 fours and three sixes, while Shanaka’s powerful batting included eight sixes and six fours.
The match reached a nail-biting conclusion in the final over, when Sri Lanka required eight runs. They lost two wickets to England’s paceman Josh Tongue during this period, but Janith Liyanage remained composed under pressure. Liyanage hit a six off the penultimate ball to secure the win, finishing with an unbeaten 61 runs from 27 balls, guiding Sri Lanka to 430 for eight wickets.
Sri Lankan captain Kusal Mendis expressed satisfaction with the victory, emphasizing the team’s belief and resilience throughout the match. “Everyone believed we can do it. Every day we talk about showing the character in team meetings, and it’s about showing we can get any score,” he said.
Despite the loss, Brook acknowledged Sri Lanka’s exceptional performance. “Incredible game of cricket, both teams were exceptional. They played exceptional cricket to knock off 400,” he commented. “It was a nice innings but being on the losing side it has no value whatsoever in my eyes.”
The match was a showcase of aggressive batting and competitive spirit, highlighting both teams' capabilities in one of the highest-scoring and most dramatic ODI encounters in recent memory. South Africa still holds the record for the highest ODI chase, having chased 435 runs against Australia in Johannesburg in 2006.