Rawalpindi, Oct 22: Sri Lanka on Thursday (October 22) produced one of the finest batting performances in ODI history as they successfully chased down a mammoth target of 430, beating England by two wickets and one ball to spare in a nail-biting.
In the third match of the Pakistan ODI Tri-Series 2026 at the Pindi Stadium, the extraordinary contest witnessed England skipper Harry Brook smash a double century at record pace. However, his knock of 202 off 114 balls went in vain as Sri Lanka completed the second-highest successful chase in men's ODI history.
England posted 429/4 in 50 overs, powered by Brook's 202 off 116 balls and Joe Root's 69. Kusal Mendis-led Sri Lankan side responded with 430/8 in 49.5 overs, producing a memorable two-wicket
victory and rewriting several entries in the ODI record books.
The match aggregate of 859 runs ranks among the highest in ODI history, while Brook's monumental innings became the highest individual score in a losing cause in men's ODIs.
Here are the major records from the England vs Sri Lanka thriller in Rawalpindi.
1. Sri Lanka complete the second-highest successful ODI chase
Sri Lanka's pursuit of 430 became the second-highest successful run chase in men's ODI history, behind South Africa's famous chase of 435 against Australia in Johannesburg in 2006.
Pavan Rathnayake scored 130, Avishka Fernando made 97 and Dasun Shanaka added 97 to keep Sri Lanka in the contest. Janith Liyanage held his nerve in a dramatic finish as Sri Lanka crossed the line with one ball remaining.
Highest successful run chases in men's ODIs
| Target chased | Teams | Venue | Year |
|---|---|---|---|
| 435 | South Africa vs Australia | Johannesburg | 2006 |
| 430 | Sri Lanka vs England | Rawalpindi | 2026 |
| 406 | India vs West Indies | Guwahati | 2026 |
| 375 | Netherlands vs West Indies | Harare | 2023 |
| 372 | South Africa vs Australia | Durban | 2016 |
Note: The Netherlands-West Indies match in 2023 was tied and decided by a Super Over.
2. Harry Brook smashes the fastest ODI double century
Brook produced a monumental innings, reaching his double century in just 114 balls. He finished with 202 off 116 deliveries, hitting 21 fours and 10 sixes at a strike rate of 174.14.
His effort made him the first England batter to score a double century in men's ODIs. It also surpassed the previous fastest double-century mark held by India captain Shubman Gill, who reached 200 in 117 balls against West Indies in Guwahati last month.
Fastest double centuries in men's ODIs
| Batter | Balls taken | Opposition |
|---|---|---|
| Harry Brook | 114 | Sri Lanka |
| Shubman Gill | 117 | West Indies |
| Ishan Kishan | 126 | Bangladesh |
Brook's innings also made him only the second men's cricketer, after Chris Gayle, to score a century in T20 internationals, a double century in ODIs and a triple century in Test cricket.
3. Brook records the highest individual score in a losing cause
Despite scoring a double century, Brook ended up on the losing side. The explosive right-handed batter's 202 became the highest individual score in a losing cause in men's ODI history, surpassing Charles Coventry's unbeaten 194 against Bangladesh in Bulawayo in 2009.
Highest individual scores in a losing cause in men's ODIs
| Score | Batter | Opposition | Venue | Year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 202 | Harry Brook | Sri Lanka | Rawalpindi | 2026 |
| 194* | Charles Coventry | Bangladesh | Bulawayo | 2009 |
| 193 | Fakhar Zaman | South Africa | Johannesburg | 2021 |
| 191 | George Munsey | Netherlands | Dundee | 2025 |
| 181* | Matthew Hayden | New Zealand | Hamilton | 2007 |
4. Second-highest match aggregate in ODI history
The combined total of 859 runs made the England-Sri Lanka contest the second-highest aggregate in men's ODI history. England's 429/4 was followed by Sri Lanka's 430/8, with both teams scoring at a remarkable rate throughout the match. At the top sits the 2006 epic encounter between South Africa and Australia at Johannesburg where the Proteas chased down 434.
Highest match aggregates in men's ODIs
| Aggregate | Match | Venue | Year |
|---|---|---|---|
| 872 | Australia (434/4) vs South Africa (438/9) | Johannesburg | 2006 |
| 859 | England (429/4) vs Sri Lanka (430/8) | Rawalpindi | 2026 |
| 825 | India (414) vs Sri Lanka (411) | Rajkot | 2009 |
| 811 | West Indies (405) vs India (406) | Guwahati | 2026 |
| 807 | England (419) vs West Indies (389) | St George's | 2019 |
5. England post a huge total, but it is not enough
England's 429/4 was a formidable total, built around Brook's double century and support from Joe Root and Will Jacks. Jacks remained unbeaten on 66 off just 30 balls, helping England accelerate in the closing overs.
England's total ultimately proved insufficient against Sri Lanka's extraordinary chase, underlining the scale of the batting spectacle in Rawalpindi.
6. Four major batting contributions shape the contest
The match featured outstanding performances from both sides. Brook scored 202, emerging Sri Lankan batting talent Pavan Rathnayake made 130, while Avishka Fernando and Dasun Shanaka each scored 97. These contributions ensured that the contest remained alive until the final over.
Brook's double century gave England a commanding platform, but Sri Lanka's collective response showed how a chase of this magnitude can be sustained through multiple partnerships rather than a single batter carrying the innings.
7. Sri Lanka register their highest ODI total
Sri Lanka's 430/8 became their highest ODI total, surpassing the 411 they scored against India in Rajkot in 2009. Rathnayake, Fernando, Shanaka and Janith Liyanage (61*) all played important roles in overhauling the historic chase.
A record-breaking match that belonged to Sri Lanka
Brook's double century will be remembered as one of the most remarkable individual efforts in ODI cricket, but Sri Lanka's achievement ensured the match was about more than one batter's brilliance.
A 430-run chase, an 859-run aggregate and a record-breaking double century combined to produce one of the most extraordinary contests the format has seen. For England, Brook's historic innings ended in defeat; for Sri Lanka, the victory became a landmark moment in their ODI history.
