Sri Lanka Complete Second-Highest ODI Chase to Defeat England Despite Harry Brook’s Double Century

Sri Lanka 430 for 8 (Rathnayake 130, Avishka Fernando 97, Shanaka 97, Liyanage 61*; Tongue 3-79) beat England 429 for 4 (Brook 202, Root 69, Jacks 66*, Banton 50) by two wickets.

Harry Brook delivered England’s first-ever One Day International double century, yet his side still suffered a heartbreaking defeat as Sri Lanka pulled off the second-highest chase in ODI history to win a thrilling 859-run shootout in Rawalpindi. Recovering from 24 for 2, the touring side successfully chased down a target of 430, powered by superb centuries and near-centuries from Pavan Rathnayake (130), Avishka Fernando (97), Dasun Shanaka (97), and a rapid, unbeaten 27-ball 61 from Janith Liyanage.

Sri Lanka captain Kusal Mendis likely regretted his decision to bowl first after Brook, his opposite number, dismantled the batting attack with a stunning 114-ball double hundred, breaking the record set the previous month by Shubman Gill. The blow seemed to deepen when Mendis was run out without facing a ball—caught via the fingertips of Gus Atkinson—leaving Sri Lanka in a precarious position at two down inside the fifth over of their run chase.

Ultimately, Mendis’s strategy was vindicated as heavy dew conditions assisted Sri Lanka in sealing a dramatic victory with a single ball to spare. Josh Tongue had kept England’s hopes alive by taking crucial wickets, but a resilient Asitha Fernando guided Janith Liyanage back to the crease. With six runs needed from the final two deliveries, Liyanage launched Tongue over long-off to seal a historic triumph.

Sri Lanka’s players flooded the outfield to join Liyanage in ecstatic celebrations, the batter having broken into a sprint the moment the ball left his blade. Entering the fray at number seven with 107 runs required from 58 balls, Liyanage delivered a masterclass finisher’s performance. He blasted seven fours and three sixes, including a brutal 4-4-6 sequence off the expensive Sam Curran, facing only two dot balls during his stay.

A visibly shellshocked Brook reflected on England’s defeat, their second loss in three matches during the tri-series. “Both teams were exceptional,” Brook said. “Sri Lanka just outplayed us, unfortunately. We couldn’t quite hit our straps with the ball and played into their strengths… To knock off 400 is an incredible achievement, so fair play to them.”

Among the numerous milestones Brook achieved was an unwanted record: he became the first player in ODI history to score a double century and still end up on the losing side. “It was a nice innings,” he admitted. “Unfortunately, it doesn’t mean anything now. Being on the losing side, it has no value whatsoever in my eyes.”

Brook was at his breathtaking best, showcasing an array of outrageous scoops, reverse-scoops, pick-ups, and flat-bat shots. He forged formidable partnerships of 159 runs with Joe Root and another 185 with Will Jacks. He reached his landmark double century with a delicate paddle-sweep for four on the final delivery of England’s innings, only to depart on the very next ball, caught at deep point.

With this feat, Brook became only the second player in history to complete an all-format ‘3-2-1’ milestone, joining Chris Gayle in the exclusive club of having scored a Test triple-century, an ODI double-hundred, and a T20I century. Despite looking exhausted after batting for two-and-a-half hours under the Rawalpindi afternoon sun, he needed only 39 balls to bring up his second century, running through the pitch with his arms raised in celebration.

Brook started slowly, scoring just 13 runs off his first 24 deliveries and finding it difficult to get going. However, he shifted into a higher gear with two consecutive sixes off part-time spinner Kamindu Mendis, never looking back thereafter. He accelerated his scoring impressively, reaching 50 off 42 balls, 100 off 75, 150 off 97, and finally his double century off 114 balls—a genuine masterclass in white-ball batting.

Will Jacks congratulates Harry Brook on his double-century•AFP via Getty Images

At the halfway mark, Sri Lanka’s strategy of deploying only four specialist bowlers and relying on their all-rounders must have caused some concern. Mendis, Shanaka, and Liyanage combined to concede 123 runs in their allotted overs, with Brook targeting them relentlessly. Alongside Jacks, the English side amassed 156 runs during the final ten overs of the innings.

The match appeared to be out of reach when Avishka Fernando was dismissed lbw, reducing Sri Lanka to 38 for 3. However, a successful review overturned the decision, allowing Fernando to build a crucial 166-run partnership with Rathnayake. Although Fernando fell just three runs short of his century, chipping back to Jamie Overton, Shanaka entered at number five and formed a dynamic 133-run alliance with Rathnayake off just 79 balls.

Shanaka’s resilience was tested as he was twice given out—caught behind off Atkinson on 32, and later lbw to Liam Dawson on 41. However, both decisions were successfully overturned on review, vindicating Sri Lanka’s choice to promote him in the batting order. Rathnayake eventually fell for 130, his highest international score, after holing out to wide long-on off Curran, but Shanaka continued to play with immense confidence.

Shanaka blasted six fours and eight sixes in his aggressive 50-ball innings, ultimately falling for 97 after being caught in the deep attempting to hit Dawson’s final ball for a six. With 67 runs required from the remaining 36 balls, Janith Liyanage seized control, posting three boundaries off Overton’s over before reverse-scooping, scything, and clubbing Sam Curran for three more boundaries on the spin.

Pavan Rathnayake celebrates his ton with Dasun Shanaka•AFP via Getty Images

Sam Curran struggled to grip the ball in the damp, dewy conditions and was fortunate to escape when Sahan Arachchige was caught at long-on off a high full toss that was ruled just below waist height. Nevertheless, Curran’s figures of 2 for 103 in nine overs marked the worst-ever ODI bowling figures for England, with Brook deliberately targeting him at the death.

Liyanage and Wellalage exchanged crisp boundaries down the ground off Will Jacks, bringing the required run total down to 13 from the final 12 deliveries. Jamie Overton dug deep, conceding only five runs in the 49th over. After Liyanage took a single off the first ball of the final over, Wellalage attempted a heavy swipe at Josh Tongue’s yorker but lost his middle stump, while Eshan Malinga was dismissed first ball by a pinpoint yorker.

With seven runs needed from three balls and Tongue threatening a hat-trick, Asitha Fernando—who had scored just 19 runs in his 35 previous ODIs—sliced a single down to deep third to bring Liyanage back on strike. Tongue set a deep leg-side field and advanced mid-off, but his slower ball was perfectly placed in the slot. Liyanage launched the ball clean over his head, triggering absolute pandemonium in Rawalpindi.

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