Sri Lanka chase down 430 to beat England in ODI tri‑series

Janith Liyanage hit the winning six with one ball left as Sri Lanka completed a 430‑run chase, the second‑largest in ODI history.

By Felo News Desk · Published Thu, 22 Oct 2026 18:01:06 GMT

Sri Lanka edged England by two wickets in the final match of the ODI tri‑series in Lahore, completing a 430‑run chase – the second‑highest successful chase in One‑Day International history.

What happened

England posted 429 for four in their 50 overs, powered by Harry Brook’s 202, the fastest double‑century in ODIs at 114 balls. Brook’s innings included a 13‑run burst off his first 24 balls and a 75‑ball century before reaching the double‑hundred in the final over.

Sri Lanka began their reply at 24 for two but recovered through Pavan Rathnayake’s 130 off 106 balls, Avishka Fernando’s 97 and Dasun Shanaka’s 97. The required run rate stayed above ten for much of the innings. With eight runs needed off the last over, Janith Liyanage struck a six off Josh Tongue’s penultimate delivery, sealing a two‑wicket win with one ball to spare.

What the reports add

The Independent noted that England’s total of 429 was their fourth‑highest 50‑over score and the best overseas total against a Test‑playing nation, yet their attack – missing double‑World Cup winner Adil Rashid – could not defend the target.

The Telegraph provided a live‑update style account, quoting Brook’s post‑match comments about England’s disappointment and highlighting the bowling figures as a “horror show”. It also recorded the exact over‑by‑over scores, confirming Sri Lanka reached 430/8 with Liyanage on 61 and Asitha Fernando on 1 at the close of the innings.

What was said

Harry Brook told the Telegraph after the match: “Both teams were exceptional. Sri Lanka outplayed us unfortunately… It was a nice innings but being on the losing side it has no value whatsoever in my eyes.”

In the same source, a commentator described England’s bowling as a “horror show” and praised Sam Curran’s experience while questioning the trust placed in Atkinson’s spell.

How it came about

England entered the series without Jos Buttler and Jofra Archer, as reported in Felo’s October 1 article on the squad selection. Harry Brook captained the side and delivered a historic double‑century, but Sri Lanka’s chase built on earlier strong performances in the tri‑series, including Pavan Rathnayake’s maiden ODI half‑century against Pakistan on October 18 (Felo coverage).

England’s coach Brendon McCullum had urged an aggressive approach ahead of the series, but the final match demonstrated Sri Lanka’s resilience and depth in batting, overturning England’s dominance in the earlier England‑Sri Lanka encounters documented by Felo in September.

Key facts

England scored 429/4, with Harry Brook making 202 off 114 balls. (independent.co.uk)
Sri Lanka chased down 430 with two wickets left, winning by two wickets. (independent.co.uk)
Janith Liyanage hit the winning six on the penultimate ball of the innings. (independent.co.uk)
Pavan Rathnayake scored 130 off 106 balls for Sri Lanka. (independent.co.uk)
The chase is the second‑highest successful run chase in ODI history. (independent.co.uk)