Sports Desk
RAWALPINDI: Sri Lanka pulled-off the second highest successful chase in ODI history to beat England in the third match of the tri-series at Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium on Thursday.
Set a daunting 430, Sri Lanka hit the winning runs on the penultimate ball of the match, losing eight wicktets in the process. Janith Liyanage, who scored unbeaten 61 off 27, seal an emphatic victory for the Islanders with a six down the ground.
The highest successful run chase in ODI cricket history belongs to South Africa, who chased down a target of 435 against Australia in Johannesburg in 2006. Pavan Rathnayake top-scored with 130 off 106 balls, striking three sixes and 15 fours. Avishka Fernando and Dasun Shanaka were dismissed on the identical scores of 97.
England opening bowlers reduced Sri Lanka to 24-2 in 4.2 overs before Avishka Fernando and Pavan Rathnayake fought back with a monumental 166-run partnership. The pair batted briskly and brought the totat to 190 in 27.1 overs.
Sam Curran provided England the much-need breakthrough in the form of well-set Fernando’s wicket. The right-hander knock was peppered with 11 fours and two sixes. Despite the wicket, the momentum never shifted England’s way as Dasun Shanaka paired up with Pavan Rathnayake forged a match-winning stand off 133 off just 79 balls.
As a result, Sri Lanka reached 323 in 40 overs. Rathnayake was eventually removed after a brilliant knock which was laced with 15 fours and three sixes.
Nonetheless, the match went down to the final over, with Sri Lanka needing eight. Fast bowler Josh Tongue did well on the first three balls, taking two wickets and giving away only a single run, before Liyanage sealed the victory with a six down the ground.
For England, Tongue picked up three wickets.
Earlier, Harry Brook’s record-breaking double-century propelled England to a massive total.
Put into bat first, England racked up 429-4 in 50 overs, the highest ODI total on Pakistan soil. Brook was dismissed on the final ball of the innings after scoring 202 off just 116 balls. His knock included 21 fours and 10 sixes.
Tom Banton and Ben Duckett laid a solid foundation with a 74-run partnership in 13.2 overs. However, Sri Lanka bowlers fought back, removing the pair in quick succession. As a result, the Three Lions were 85-2 at the end of 16 overs.
Banton scored 50 off 51, hitting nine fours while Duckett contributed 29 off 39 with the help off two fours. After two quick wickets, Joe Root and skipper Harry Brook stabilised the innings with a 159-run stand for the third-wicket partnership
Root struck eight fours in his 69 off 66, also becoming the first England player to cross 8000 runs in ODI cricket. At this stage, England were well-placed at 244-3 in 37.1 overs.
The highlight of the innings was Harry Brook’s and Will Jacks batting, both sharing a 179-run stand off just 79 deliveries. The last 13 overs saw England scoring 185 with Brook scoring a double century. Will Jacks also stood tall with a 30-ball 66, that included three sixes and eight fours.
For Sri Lanka, Dunith Wellalage was the pick of the bowlers, taking two wickets in his 10 overs while giving away 56.
