Harry Brook’s historic ODI double century proved insufficient as Sri Lanka staged a massive run-chase to defeat England at Rawalpindi. Brook dismissed his personal milestone as meaningless following the shocking team defeat.
England Suffer Stunning Defeat
Rawalpindi [Pakistan], October 22 (ANI): Following his team’s loss to Sri Lanka while defending a massive 430-run target, England skipper Harry Brook, who scored a historic double hundred, said that his knock has “no values in his eyes” after a shocking defeat. Brook became the first Englishman to reach an ODI double ton, the fastest double centurion in ODI cricket and joined Chris Gayle in an elite all-format list at Rawalpindi. But on a batting paradise, century from Pavan Rathnayake, explosive fifties from Avishka Fernando, Dasun Shanaka and Janith Liyanage had Sri Lanka giving it back to Three Lions with full interest, pulling down a run-chase for ages.
Following the match, skipper Brook said, “Incredible game of cricket, both teams were exceptional. Sri Lanka just outplayed us. They played exceptional cricket to knock off 400. It was a nice innings but being on the losing side it has no value whatsoever in my eyes. We got to get back to the drawing board a little bit, and we have an opportunity in the next couple of games to nail down a place in the final.”
England’s Historic Batting Display
Coming to the match, England was put to bat first by Sri Lanka. England started with a 74-run opening stand between Tom Banton (50 in 51 balls, with nine fours) and Ben Duckett (29 in 39 balls, with two fours). After their dismissal, England was reduced to 85/2. From there, two Yorkshire men, Brook and Joe Root (69 in 66 balls, with eight fours) put on a 159-run stand. Root also got his slice of history, becoming the first-ever Englishman to score 8,000 ODI runs. Now, he has 8,005 runs in 197 matches and 186 innings at an average of 50.66, with 20 centuries and 49 fifties and a best score of 166*.
Towards the end, England was guided to 429/4, with a half-century by Will Jacks (66* in 30 balls, with eight fours and three sixes) and first-ever double ton by an Englishman by skipper Brook (202 in 116 balls, with 21 fours and 10 sixes). Dunith Wellalage (2/56) was the pick of the bowlers for SL, with Eshan Malinga (0/91) and Dilshan Madushanka (0/89) being taken apart in their 10-over spells. Dasun Shanaka was looted for 74 runs in six overs.
Sri Lanka’s Miraculous Run-Chase
During the chase, Sri Lanka started badly and was reduced to 24/2, having lost crucial wickets of Kamindu Mendis (18) and skipper Kusal Mendis (0). Avishka Fernando (97 in 83 ball, with 12 fours and two sixes) started a measured counter-attack alongside Pavan Rathnayake, stitching a 166-run stand for the third wicket. Pavan, who slammed a career-best 130 in 106 balls, with 15 fours and three sixes, kept the flame of hope burning with a 133-run partnership with hard-hitting Dasun Shanaka (97 in 50 balls, with six fours and eight sixes).
At the time of Shanaka’s dismissal in 44th over, SL still needed 67 in six overs and it was Janith Liyanage (61* in 27 balls, with seven fours and three sixes) who pulled off a miracle with some support from lower-order, even if Josh Tongue (3/79) threatened to derail the chase with back-to-back wickets in final over. Sam Curran (2/103) was hit all over the park in his nine-over spell. (ANI)
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