England captain
Brook’s innings was nothing short of spectacular, as he reached the 200-run milestone in just 114 balls. This effort eclipsed the previous record for the fastest ODI double-century, which was held by India’s Shubman Gill at 117 deliveries. By the time he was caught by Sahan Arachchige off the bowling of Janith Liyanage on the final ball of the innings, Brook had accumulated 202 runs from 116 balls, featuring 21 fours and 10 sixes. Supported by Joe Root’s 69 off 66 balls, England set a formidable target of 429-4.
Sri Lanka complete historic chase
In response, Sri Lanka produced an extraordinary batting display to pull off the second-highest successful run chase in the history of One-Day International cricket. Pavan Rathnayake anchored the pursuit with a commanding 130 off 106 balls, while Avishka Fernando and Dasun Shanaka both narrowly missed out on centuries, each falling for 97.
The match reached a dramatic conclusion in the final over. With six runs required from the last two deliveries, Liyanage struck a decisive six off England bowler Josh Tongue to seal the win with one ball to spare. Tongue, who ended the match with figures of 3-79, was unable to prevent the visitors from reaching their target. Reflecting on the loss, Brook admitted his disappointment, noting that the team failed to execute their bowling plans effectively against a determined Sri Lankan lineup.
England’s path to the final
The defeat leaves England at the bottom of the tri-series standings following their previous 87-run loss to Pakistan. Brook acknowledged the difficulty of the situation but remains focused on the remaining fixtures. He emphasized that the team must regroup quickly to keep their hopes of reaching the final in Lahore alive.
With two matches left to play, England faces a must-win scenario. Brook expressed that the squad plans to hold discussions over the coming days to address their performance and prepare for the upcoming opportunities to secure a place in the tournament decider.
