Sri Lanka overhauls England’s 429 with six off final over to win tri-series match in Rawalpindi
Sri Lanka beat England by two wickets in a tri-series one-day international in Rawalpindi on October 22, 2026, completing a 430-8 chase with Janith Liyanage lofting a winning six off Josh Tongue’s penultimate delivery. The successful run chase, which followed Harry Brook’s double century in England’s 429-4, ranks as the second-highest successful chase in ODI history.
England posted 429-4 after being sent in, propelled by Harry Brook’s double-century, while Sri Lanka reached 430-8 to clinch the match; Kusal Mendis won the toss and elected to field. Brook’s innings included a 202 that the report described both as a 116-ball double century and as reaching the double in 114 balls before holing out two balls later for 202 off the final ball of England’s innings. Brook said: "Incredible game of cricket, both teams were exceptional," and added: "It was a nice innings but being on the losing side it has no value whatsoever in my eyes. We got to get back to the drawing board a little bit, and we have an opportunity in the next couple of games to nail down a place in the final."
Sri Lanka recovered from two early wickets to build their chase around a 166-run third-wicket partnership between Avishka Fernando and Pavan Rathnayake. Fernando, recalled for the tri-series after last playing an ODI in January 2025, made 97 off 83 balls; Rathnayake complemented him and later reached a century as Sri Lanka stayed firmly in contention.
Pavan Rathnayake scored 130 off 106 balls with 15 fours and three sixes, while Dasun Shanaka contributed a 133 off 79-ball cameo featuring eight sixes and six boundaries as Sri Lanka reduced the target to 107 off the final 58 balls before Rathnayake was holed out to long-on. Shanaka twice successfully overturned decisions via television review and ended up being dismissed in the 44th over, leaving Sri Lanka needing 67 from six overs.
Dunith Liyanage struck three sixes and seven fours in an unbeaten 61 off 27 balls during the closing stages, and Asitha Fernando denied Josh Tongue a hat-trick after Tongue uprooted the middle stumps of Wellalage and Eshan Malinga on successive deliveries in the final over; the strike was returned so a Liyanage completed the chase with a big hit. Janith Liyanage finished the match by lofting Tongue over long-off for the winning six to reach 430-8.
England’s total featured contributions from Joe Root (69), Will Jacks (66 not out) and Tom Banton (50), with Brook reaching his first century off 75 balls and reportedly using ramped boundaries and a paddle sweep as part of his scoring. The report notes Brook’s effort was two balls fewer than Shubman Gill’s 116-ball double century against West Indies at Guwahati last month.
Sri Lanka’s seam bowlers were taken apart as Malinga finished 0-91 and Dilshan Madushanka 0-89 while Shanaka conceded 74 in his six overs; left-arm spinner Wellalage returned figures of 2-56. England’s finish was accelerated by a 156-run addition between Brook and Jacks in the final 10 overs, with Sam Curran finishing with figures of 2-103.
The tournament moves to Lahore next, where England — having lost to Pakistan by 87 runs in the tri-series opener — will face unbeaten Pakistan in the return game on Sunday.
