England secured a 55-run victory over Sri Lanka in the final group match of their tournament at Lahore’s Gaddafi Stadium on Thursday. The win, however, came too late to affect England’s standing, as they had already been eliminated after losing all three of their earlier fixtures.

Batting first, England posted a total of 386 for 5, thanks largely to an outstanding performance from opener Ben Duckett. The 32-year-old scored his highest individual One-Day International (ODI) innings with 167 runs off 132 balls, including 24 boundaries. Duckett’s innings was supported by Tom Banton, who contributed 74 runs, enabling England to capitalize on what was widely regarded as a batting-friendly pitch.

Sri Lanka’s chase of 387 runs proved challenging. They ultimately fell short, bowled out for 331 runs. Liam Dawson was the standout bowler for England, taking four wickets to derail the Sri Lankan innings. Sri Lanka opener Pavan Rathnayake provided a notable resistance with an impressive 118 runs. Meanwhile, Kusal Mendis came close to reaching a century but was dismissed 11 runs short.

Despite the victory, England’s earlier defeats had already eliminated them from contention for the tournament final scheduled for Saturday. Sri Lanka also faced the disappointment of falling short in the run chase in this concluding encounter.

The match highlighted individual brilliance, particularly from Duckett and Rathnayake, but neither team was able to convert their efforts into tournament success. The focus now shifts to the final and the remaining matches as both teams reflect on their performances in Lahore.