Harry Brook’s Historic Double Century Goes in Vain as Sri Lanka Chase 430 Runs
Harry Brook smashed 202 runs for England, but Sri Lanka pulled off a historic two-wicket ODI victory at Rawalpindi after chasing 430. Discover how Pavan Rathnayake and other batters helped produce a record-breaking contest.
The match witnessed a remarkable display of batting from both sides, with runs flowing throughout the contest. Brook’s extraordinary innings had put England in a commanding position, but Sri Lanka produced a determined chase to secure a memorable win.
Before this match, South Africa had achieved the highest successful run chase in ODI cricket when they chased down 435 runs against Australia in Johannesburg in 2006. Sri Lanka became the third team to successfully chase a target exceeding 400 runs in ODI cricket. Earlier this year, India had chased down a target of 406 runs against the West Indies in Guwahati.
What Did Harry Brook Say After England’s Defeat?
Following the defeat, England captain Harry Brook acknowledged that his team had failed to deliver with the ball and praised Sri Lanka for their remarkable performance.
“What an incredible cricket match! I think both teams played excellent cricket. Unfortunately, Sri Lanka came out on top against us. We could not perform well with the ball and, to some extent, played according to their strengths. They produced an outstanding performance by successfully chasing 400 runs,” Brook said.
He also highlighted the significance of Sri Lanka’s achievement, noting that such a successful chase had occurred for the first time in 20 years.
“It is a remarkable achievement, and they deserve all the credit,” he said.
Reflecting on his own double century, Brook admitted that the innings had little significance in the aftermath of the defeat.
“After losing, my innings has no meaning. In my eyes, it has no importance. We know where we went wrong. Unfortunately, we could not perform the way we wanted to with the ball,” he said.
Brook added that England would have further opportunities in the upcoming matches to secure a place in the final.
Harry Brook’s Double Century Sets an ODI Record
Brook scored 202 runs, becoming the first England batter to register a double century in ODI cricket. He reached the landmark in just 114 balls, making it the fastest double century in ODI cricket.
However, his historic individual performance could not prevent England from suffering defeat. Sri Lanka’s successful chase demonstrated the importance of collective batting contributions, with Rathnayake’s century and attacking innings from Fernando, Shanaka and Liyanage helping the team overcome England’s formidable total.
Sri Lanka Create History in a High-Scoring ODI
The match produced a combined total of 859 runs, marking only the second occasion in ODI cricket when the total score in a single match exceeded 850 runs.
Sri Lanka also recorded their first successful ODI chase of more than 400 runs. Their two-wicket victory over England added another significant milestone to the history of high-scoring one-day internationals.
While Brook’s 202-run innings and England’s total of 429 for four dominated the first innings, Sri Lanka’s successful pursuit ultimately decided the contest. England’s bowling performance, which Brook himself identified as a key area of failure, proved decisive in a match that produced records, a historic chase and a dramatic finish.

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