Sri Lanka vs. England: Sri Lanka chase 430 to win despite Harry Brook's record 202

Harry Brook made history in Rawalpindi on Thursday, and it still wasn’t enough. England’s captain hit 202, the first ODI double century by an England batter and the fastest in the format’s history, but Sri Lanka chased down 430 to win by two wickets with one ball left in a one-day tri-series game in Pakistan.

The game ran from the early morning to around midday on the US East Coast, and Janith Liyanage sealed it with a six off the penultimate ball.

Sri Lanka vs. England scorecard

Sri Lanka 430/8 (49.5 overs) beat England 429/4 (50 overs) by two wickets.

• England: Harry Brook 202 (116 balls, 21 fours, 10 sixes), Joe Root 69, Will Jacks 66 not out (30 balls), Tom Banton 50
• Sri Lanka: Pavan Rathnayake 130 (106 balls), Avishka Fernando 97 (83), Dasun Shanaka 97 (50), Janith Liyanage 61 not out
• England bowling: Sam Curran conceded 103 runs from nine overs, per BBC Sport; Josh Tongue took three wickets for 79, according to the ICC

BBC Sport said Brook was caught at third man off the final ball of England’s innings, while the ICC’s report described his 202 as unbeaten. Sri Lanka chose to bat second after the toss.

How fast was Harry Brook’s double century?

Brook reached 200 in 114 balls, the fastest double hundred in ODI history, BBC Sport reported. That beat the 117 balls taken by India’s Shubman Gill against West Indies only last month.

His innings built steadily. He had just 13 runs from his first 24 balls, reached 50 in 42 balls and his century in 75, then went from 100 to 200 in only 39 balls. Along the way he passed Ben Stokes’ England record of 182, set against New Zealand in 2023, with a six off left-arm seamer Dilshan Madushanka. He was also dropped at mid-off on 185.

BBC Sport noted two more milestones. Brook is the first man in ODI history to make a double hundred and finish on the losing side, and he joined West Indies great Chris Gayle as the only players with a T20I hundred, an ODI double hundred and a Test triple century.

How did Sri Lanka chase 430?

Sri Lanka slipped to 24-2 early, but kept pace with the required rate throughout, according to BBC Sport. Pavan Rathnayake anchored the chase with 130, Avishka Fernando added 97 at the top, and Dasun Shanaka smashed 97 off 50 balls with eight sixes, per the ICC.

With 109 needed from the final 10 overs, Sri Lanka absorbed the losses of Rathnayake and Shanaka. They needed eight off the last over from Tongue, who bowled Dunith Wellalage and Eshan Malinga with successive deliveries. Then, with six needed from two balls, Liyanage, the bowler who had been on when Brook reached 200, drove Tongue straight down the ground for six.

BBC Sport called it one of the most incredible one-day internationals ever played. The Guardian’s live coverage described it as one of the greatest ODI run chases.

The records that fell

• Second-highest successful chase in ODIs: only South Africa’s famous 2006 chase against Australia is bigger, per BBC Sport and the ICC.
• 847 runs in the match: behind only the 872 scored in that same South Africa vs. Australia game, according to BBC Sport.
• 123 boundaries (93 fours and 30 sixes): an ODI record, per BBC Sport.
• England’s 429-4: at the halfway stage, the highest total ever made in an ODI in Pakistan, BBC Sport said, before Sri Lanka passed it.

Why was England’s bowling so expensive?

England were without Jofra Archer, who was rested for the tri-series, and leg-spinner Adil Rashid was left out of this match for tactical reasons, BBC Sport reported. Its correspondent called the bowling “woeful.”

England vs. Sri Lanka standings in the tri-series

England have lost both of their games so far, according to the ICC, while Pakistan lead the table with two wins. This was Sri Lanka’s first win of the series, which the ICC said leaves the tri-series “nicely poised” before the final stretch of games. The ICC also framed the win as a boost for Sri Lanka ahead of next year’s Men’s Cricket World Cup.

FAQ

Who won Sri Lanka vs. England? Sri Lanka, by two wickets with one ball remaining, chasing 430 in Rawalpindi.

How many did Harry Brook score? 202 off 116 balls, England’s highest individual ODI score.

Who hit the winning runs? Janith Liyanage, with a six off Josh Tongue.

Where was the match played? Rawalpindi, Pakistan, as part of a one-day tri-series that also includes the hosts.