Sri Lanka Chase 430 to Stun England in Rawalpindi ODI Epic Despite Harry Brook’s 202

Published 23 October 2026 | Match played 22 October 2026, Rawalpindi, Pakistan. Sri Lanka produced one of the greatest run chases in men’s one-day international history, overhauling England’s formidable 429 for four to win by two wickets with one delivery remaining in the Pakistan ODI tri-series. The finish was extraordinary: Janith Liyanage launched Josh Tongue for six off the penultimate ball, taking Sri Lanka to 430 for eight in 49.5 overs and silencing an England side that had just watched captain Harry Brook rewrite the batting record books.

Brook’s brilliant 202 from 116 deliveries included 21 fours and 10 sixes. He reached the double-century mark in just 114 balls, the fastest 200 in men’s ODI cricket and the first ODI double-century by an England batter. Yet the individual landmark was not enough: Sri Lanka’s Pavan Rathnayake (130), Avishka Fernando (97), Dasun Shanaka (97) and Liyanage (61 not out) combined to produce the second-highest successful men’s ODI chase ever.

Sri Lanka vs England: match result at a glance

Result: Sri Lanka won by two wickets, one ball remaining. Venue: Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium, Pakistan. Competition: Pakistan ODI Tri-Series, match three, 22 October 2026. Sri Lanka won the toss and chose to field. The match generated a combined 859 runs across the two innings. See the innings scorecard.

How England reached 429/4: Brook’s fastest ODI double-century

England’s innings began with a useful platform rather than an immediate blitz. Tom Banton made 50 from 51 balls and Ben Duckett contributed 29. Joe Root’s 69 from 66 balls gave the middle order stability. England were 85 for two after 16 overs when Brook took control of the game.

The England captain reached 50 in 42 balls and 100 in 75. From that point his innings accelerated astonishingly: the next hundred required only 39 more deliveries. Brook brought up 200 from his 114th ball, eclipsing the previous men’s ODI speed record of 117 deliveries, set by India’s Shubman Gill in September 2026. He finished on 202 off 116, hitting 21 boundaries and 10 sixes, before falling to Liyanage on the final delivery of England’s innings.

Brook surpassed England’s previous highest ODI individual score of 182, made by Ben Stokes against New Zealand at The Oval in 2023, and became the country’s first ODI double-centurion. Will Jacks strengthened England’s finish with 66 not out from 30 balls, taking the total to 429/4. It was an imposing target even on a batting-friendly surface.

Sri Lanka’s nightmare start: 24 for two

Needing 430 in 50 overs meant Sri Lanka had to score at 8.60 runs per over from the first ball. Their chase instead began badly. Kamindu Mendis made 18 before Josh Tongue bowled him, and captain Kusal Mendis was run out for a duck without facing a delivery. At 24 for two after 4.2 overs, Sri Lanka had barely begun their response while already under heavy pressure.

Avishka Fernando and Pavan Rathnayake rebuilt through an audacious partnership, striking boundaries regularly while avoiding further early wickets. They put on 166 for the third wicket. Fernando made 97 from 83 balls, including 11 fours and two sixes, before Jamie Overton dismissed him at 190/3 in the 28th over. It was a crucial knock even though he fell three runs short of a century.

Pavan Rathnayake’s 130 brings the impossible within reach

Rathnayake was the mainstay of Sri Lanka’s innings. He completed his century in just 87 deliveries and eventually compiled 130 from 106 balls, with 15 fours and three sixes. His control of the chase transformed a daunting pursuit into a credible upset.

After Fernando departed, Rathnayake and Dasun Shanaka continued the charge, adding 133 for the fourth wicket. England finally removed Rathnayake with the score on 323 in the 41st over, leaving another 107 runs still required. Shanaka then maintained the acceleration with a remarkable 97 from 50 balls, including eight sixes and six fours, before Liam Dawson dismissed him at 363/5 in the 44th over.

Three of Sri Lanka’s most influential players had now departed, but the scoring rate remained extraordinary and wickets in hand were running out.

Janith Liyanage’s final-over six seals the win

Janith Liyanage, who had taken Brook’s wicket on the last ball of England’s innings, now became the match’s finishing hero. His unbeaten 61 from 27 balls contained seven fours and three sixes, bringing urgency and calm to the lower-order chase.

Sri Lanka entered the last over needing eight runs, with Josh Tongue bowling for England. The drama intensified after Tongue bowled Dunith Wellalage and Eshan Malinga on successive deliveries. With Sri Lanka eight wickets down and the target still out of reach, Asitha Fernando nudged a single to return the strike to Liyanage.

Facing the fifth ball of the 50th over—the penultimate delivery of the match—Liyanage hit Tongue for six. Sri Lanka reached 430/8 with one ball unused, completing one of international cricket’s most improbable victories.

Top batting performances: full score comparison

* denotes not out. Source: match scorecard from Rawalpindi, 22 October 2026.

Five records and talking points from the Rawalpindi thriller

1. The second-highest successful men’s ODI chase: Sri Lanka’s 430/8 ranks behind South Africa’s 438/9 against Australia in Johannesburg in 2006. It is Sri Lanka’s highest successful ODI pursuit.
2. The fastest men’s ODI double-century: Brook reached 200 in 114 balls and ended with 202 from 116.
3. England’s first ODI double-centurion: Brook surpassed Ben Stokes’ former England ODI individual record of 182.
4. A double-hundred in defeat: Brook became the first ODI double-centurion to finish on the losing side, according to contemporary match reports.
5. An astonishing 859 runs: The two innings combined for one of the most prolific ODI matches ever. England’s bowlers could not defend a total that would usually be decisive; Sam Curran finished with figures of two for 103 from nine overs.

Why did England lose despite scoring 429?

Several factors shaped the result. Sri Lanka’s 166-run third-wicket partnership prevented the early collapse from becoming terminal. Rathnayake and Shanaka kept the scoring rate within reach, while Liyanage’s late hitting converted pressure into boundaries. England also struggled to contain scoring on a favourable batting pitch, conceded numerous sixes and failed to take enough middle-over wickets while Sri Lanka’s partnerships were developing.

England’s bowling selection and lengths came under scrutiny after the match. Analysts questioned the absence of specialist leg-spin options in the XI, while Sam Curran’s 103 runs conceded illustrated how unforgiving the conditions were. Those are factors in the outcome, not proof that one tactical decision alone cost England victory. Sky Sports’ post-match analysis explores the bowling performance.

What does the win mean for the 2026 ODI tri-series?

The competition features hosts Pakistan, Sri Lanka and England, with early games at Rawalpindi and the remaining round-robin fixtures plus final in Lahore. Pakistan defeated Sri Lanka on 18 October and England on 20 October. Sri Lanka’s comeback over England therefore gives the island nation an important result as the teams compete for a place in the 31 October final.

Scheduled fixtures are subject to change. Source: England and Wales Cricket Board.

Who was the real match-winner?

Harry Brook’s double-century was a historic display of power-hitting that would ordinarily define the match. Rathnayake’s 130 provided Sri Lanka the platform; Fernando’s 97 repaired the chase; Shanaka’s 50-ball 97 kept the target within reach; and Liyanage’s unbeaten 61 delivered the decisive finish. The achievement is therefore best understood as a collective pursuit against an outstanding individual performance.

For Sri Lankan supporters, the unforgettable image is Liyanage clearing the boundary with one ball left. For England, it is an extraordinary reminder that even a total of 429 is not necessarily safe in modern ODI cricket.

Featured photograph: Cricket stadium under evening sky, by Aditya Chandegara / Unsplash. This is an illustrative image of a cricket venue, not a photograph of the Sri Lanka–England match in Rawalpindi. No unlicensed match photography or footage has been used.

Sources, scorecard and editorial notes

• Sri Lanka v England 22 October 2026 — full batting and bowling scorecard
• Sky Sports: match report and final-over account
• Cricbuzz: second-highest chase and partnership summary
• ECB: ODI tri-series fixtures and venues
• ICC match centre: Sri Lanka versus England

Editorial disclaimer: This article is for general sports news and information only, not financial, betting or other personalised advice; seek independent advice where applicable. All score details are attributed to public match scorecards and contemporaneous reporting. Any illustrative cricket imagery is not presented as photography of this specific match.

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