Harry Brook’s record-breaking 202 was overshadowed as Sri Lanka pulled off an unforgettable heist to go away England on the brink within the ODI tri-series in Pakistan.
Brook’s double-hundred was the primary by an England batter in one-day internationals and the quickest ever within the format off 114 deliveries, three fewer than India’s Shubman Gill towards the West Indies final month.
England’s white-ball captain took 13 off his first 24 deliveries earlier than motoring by the gears to a 75-ball century and he made it an astonishing twin ton within the last over to underpin a mammoth complete of 429 for 4.
But their fourth-highest 50-over rating and greatest abroad complete towards a Take a look at-playing nation proved inadequate as a callow assault, lacking double World Cup winner Adil Rashid, was put to the sword and left shell-shocked in a two-wicket defeat.
For unique tales and all of the detailed cricket news you want, subscribe to The Cricket Paper web site, digital version, or newspaper from as little as 14p a day
PICTURES: Anjum Naveed/AP
Brook’s brilliance not sufficient
Sri Lanka recovered from 24 for 2 thanks largely to Pavan Rathnayake’s 130 off 106 balls, in addition to essential knocks of 97 from each Avishka Fernando and Dasun Shanaka, regardless of the asking charge being in double figures for many of the reply.
Nevertheless, having whittled the goal right down to eight runs from the ultimate over, Janith Liyanage belted Josh Tongue’s penultimate supply for six as Sri Lanka recorded the second-highest ODI run-chase ever.
Two defeats from two places England in last-chance saloon territory if they’re to make subsequent weekend’s last in Lahore, regardless of Brook’s brilliance after his facet had been requested to bat first in Rawalpindi.
Brook used the crease expertly to open up his favoured scoring areas as his creative scoops, flicks and ramps alongside extra orthodox drives, cuts and pulls led to runs throughout the bottom.
Seizing the second
Solely Dunith Wellalage escaped a sustained bashing – the left-arm spinner had Tom Banton caught within the deep for a fluent 50 and Ben Duckett lbw for a sketchy 29 to earn spectacular figures within the circumstances of two for 56.
As Pakistan gradual left-armer Arafat Minhas mauled England lower than 48 hours earlier, Brook and Joe Root had been initially circumspect, struggling for timing as they went 38 balls with out a boundary.
However when Kamindu Mendis’ part-time left-arm spin was launched, Brook seized the second, lashing a floaty supply straight for his first boundary earlier than he made it back-to-back sixes from a drag down.
On 67, Brook bought a skinny edge to Dilshan Madushanka’s off-cutter however the ball bounced in entrance of Kusal Mendis.
Brutal ball-striking
Root grew to become the primary Englishman to eight,000 ODI runs earlier than he miscued Asitha Fernando to Wellalage within the ring to depart for 69, ending a 159-run stand with Brook – though the promotion of Will Jacks to quantity 5 noticed no let-up for Sri Lanka.
By this stage, Brook was into the 90s and he reached his fourth ODI hundred with one other scoop over his shoulder for his ninth 4.
Brook wanted simply 22 extra deliveries to go from 100 to 150, with Jacks entering into the thick of it with three fours in an over off Madushanka earlier than taking 24 runs from Shanaka within the forty eighth over.
Brook surpassed Ben Stokes’ England ODI-best 182 by whipping Madushanka excessive over the leg facet and needing 14 from the ultimate over, he bought there from the penultimate ball along with his twenty first 4 to go along with 10 sixes.
Whereas he holed out from the final ball of the innings, he helped so as to add a staggering 156 within the final 10 overs alongside Jacks, who contributed 66 not out off 30 deliveries.
Sri Lanka refuse to give up
Sri Lanka didn’t fold regardless of Tongue castling Kamindu Mendis earlier than Kusal Mendis was run out on the non-striker’s finish by Gus Atkinson with out dealing with a single supply.
Fernando rebuilt and he was inside one hit of a century when a top-edge looped again to bowler Jamie Overton, ending a 166-run stand with Rathnayake.
Shanaka hared out of the traps to supply helpful assist for Rathnayake as England struggled to comprise.
The night dew was changing into an element however Banton held on to see off Rathnayake earlier than Shanaka belted Sam Curran for 3 sixes in an over that price 20.
Curran leaked 103 in 9 overs and whereas Shanaka was additionally caught within the deep, Sri Lanka refused to give up as Liyanage took on the baton.
Tongue gave England hope within the final over as he bowled Wellalage and Eshan Malinga however Liyanage, who completed on 61 not out, had the ultimate say, hitting excessive and good-looking over long-off to seal a well-known win.
In shades of the well-known ODI conflict between South Africa and Australia in Johannesburg 20 years, it was additionally the second event in lower than a month {that a} rating in extra of 400 was chased down in an ODI after India cruised to their goal of 406 towards West Indies in Guwahati.
READ MORE: Jonathan Trott excited to continue important England Lions role across busy winter schedule
