430 Chased With a Ball to Spare: Sri Lanka Stun England in Tri-Series Epic
Rawalpindi witnessed one of the greatest ODI chases ever played. Sri Lanka hunted down 430 to beat England by two wickets with one ball remaining in the ODI tri-series on Thursday night — the second-highest successful chase in men's ODI history — and turned Harry Brook's record-breaking 202 off 116 balls into the costliest great innings the format has ever seen.
England had posted 429 for 4, a total that should have been match-winning: Brook became the first England batter to score an ODI double century, reaching it in just 114 balls — the fastest double hundred in ODI history, breaking Shubman Gill's record. His 202 contained 21 fours and 10 sixes, with Joe Root (69), Will Jacks (66*) and Tom Banton (50) riding shotgun. And it still was not enough.
Rathnayake anchors, Shanaka detonates, Liyanage finishes
The chase was a relay. Pavan Rathnayake's 130 off 106 balls held the innings together through the middle overs. Avishka Fernando's 97 kept the tempo honest. And when the asking rate climbed, Dasun Shanaka exploded for 97 off just 50 deliveries, dragging Sri Lanka back into a game England believed they had banked. That left Janith Liyanage to walk in and finish it unbeaten — 61 off 27 — launching the fifth ball of the final over for six to seal a win that will be replayed for years.
The tri-series is wide open
The result blows the qualification race open. With three league games gone and three to play, each team has two matches left and only the top two reach the final on October 31 in Lahore:
📊 TRI-SERIES STANDINGS — as of October 23, 2026
Top two reach the October 31 final in Lahore. Two points for a win, one each for a no-result.
| Pos | Team | P | W | L | Pts | NRR |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Pakistan | 2 | 2 | 0 | 4 | +1.240 |
| 2 | Sri Lanka | 2 | 1 | 1 | 2 | −0.348 |
| 3 | England | 2 | 0 | 2 | 0 | −0.892 |
Remaining: PAK vs ENG (Oct 25, Lahore), PAK vs SL (Oct 27, Lahore), SL vs ENG (Oct 29, Lahore).
Pakistan remain best placed with two wins from two. Sri Lanka are suddenly back in contention. England, winless and bottom, must beat Pakistan in Lahore on October 25 to keep their campaign alive — a defeat there, and net run rate becomes their only prayer.
✅ Key takeaways
- History in Rawalpindi: Sri Lanka's 430 chase is the second-highest successful chase in men's ODI history.
- Brook's bitter record: 202 off 116 — England's first ODI double century and the format's fastest — finished on the losing side.
- Series alive: England must win in Lahore on October 25 or their tri-series is effectively over.
- Pakistan on top: two from two, +1.240 NRR — the hosts control their own destiny.
🗳️ Fan question: can England bounce back in Lahore?
Two defeats, a 430-chase against them, and Pakistan waiting at the Gaddafi Stadium — is England's tri-series already over? Tell us on our socials.