Sri Lanka Achieves Historic ODI Chase in High-Scoring Match Against England

Rawalpindi, October 22 (Daily Kiran) : Sri Lanka made history on Thursday by successfully chasing down a monumental target of 430 runs against England in a thrilling ODI match held in Rawalpindi. This encounter saw a staggering total of 859 runs scored, making it one of the highest-scoring matches in One Day International (ODI) history.

Batting first after losing the toss, England amassed 429 runs, bolstered by a remarkable double century from captain Harry Brook, who scored 202 runs off 163 balls. Sri Lanka responded with determination, securing victory with just one ball to spare, finishing at 432 runs for the loss of 2 wickets. Pawan Ratnayake was instrumental in this chase, contributing 130 runs, while Avishka Fernando narrowly missed a century with 97 runs.

The record for the highest successful chase in ODI history remains with South Africa, which achieved 435 runs against Australia in Johannesburg back in 2006. Earlier in 2026, India had successfully chased a target of 406 runs against the West Indies.

In the match between Sri Lanka and England, the combined score of 859 runs is remarkable, but it still falls short of the all-time record of 872 runs set in a 2006 clash between South Africa and Australia. In that game, Australia scored 434 runs, while South Africa managed 438. Another notable high-scoring match occurred in 2009, where India and Sri Lanka combined for 825 runs.

In this latest match, England’s Tom Banton and Ben Duckett started strong, adding 74 runs for the first wicket. Banton scored 50 runs before being dismissed, while Duckett contributed 29 runs. England’s innings faced challenges as they lost both openers by 85 runs. However, Joe Root and Harry Brook steadied the ship with a 159-run partnership, bringing the score to 244. Root scored 69 runs before Brook teamed up with Will Jacks for a fourth-wicket partnership of 185 runs, with Jacks finishing not out on 66.

On the bowling front for Sri Lanka, Dunith Wellalage took 2 wickets, while Asitha Fernando and Janith Liyanage each claimed one.

In response, Sri Lanka stumbled early, losing two wickets for just 24 runs. However, Ratnayake and Fernando formed a crucial partnership, adding 166 runs for the third wicket, propelling Sri Lanka to 323 runs. Avishka Fernando was eventually dismissed for 97 runs, while Ratnayake’s 130 runs laid a solid foundation for the chase. Dasun Shanaka and Janith Liyanage then took charge, with Shanaka scoring 97 runs off just 50 balls, including 8 sixes and 6 fours. Liyanage finished the match with an explosive 61 runs off 27 balls, sealing the victory for Sri Lanka.

From a points table perspective, Pakistan leads the ongoing ODI tri-series with two wins, while Sri Lanka has won one of its two matches, placing them second. England, having lost both of their opening matches, sits at the bottom of the standings.