Sri Lanka vs England, 3rd Match: 12 key moments, ball by ball
Sri Lanka beat England by 2 wickets.
Sri Lanka beat England by 2 wickets in 3rd Match of Tri-Series — Triangular Series (Pakistan). Here is how the match turned, ball by ball: the overs that changed it, the wickets that mattered and the numbers behind the result.
Key moments, ball by ball
- ENG Over 11.4 — Tom Banton brings up a fifty off 48 balls
- ENG Over 28.3 — Harry Brook brings up a fifty off 42 balls
- ENG Over 33.3 — Joe Root brings up a fifty off 54 balls
- ENG Over 39.1 — Harry Brook brings up a hundred off 75 balls
- ENG Over 41 — 20 runs came off the over, bowled by Dasun Shanaka: 4 0 2 6 4 4
- ENG Over 47.5 — Will Jacks brings up a fifty off 25 balls
- ENG Over 48 — 24 runs came off the over, bowled by Dasun Shanaka: 6 wd 6 4 2 4 1
- SL Over 16.1 — Avishka Fernando brings up a fifty off 49 balls
- SL Over 34.2 — Pavan Rathnayake brings up a hundred off 87 balls
- SL Over 43 — 20 runs came off the over, bowled by Sam Curran: 6 1 1 6 0 6
- SL Over 47 — 19 runs came off the over, bowled by Sam Curran: 4 4 6 1 4 W
- SL Over 49.5 — Janith Liyanage finished it off with a six off Josh Tongue
How the runs came
England were 133 after 25 overs and finished on 429/4. Sri Lanka were 168 after 25 overs and finished on 430/8.
Phase by phase
| Phase | ENG | SL |
|---|---|---|
| Powerplay (1-10) | 54/0 (RR 5.40) | 59/2 (RR 5.90) |
| Middle overs (11-40) | 219/3 (RR 7.30) | 260/1 (RR 8.67) |
| Death overs (41-50) | 156/1 (RR 15.60) | 109/5 (RR 11.08) |
In the middle overs, Sri Lanka scored 41 more than England. In the death overs, England scored 47 more than Sri Lanka.
England innings: over by over
England faced 117 dot balls (39%), hit 48 fours and 13 sixes, and got 11 extras. The best stand was 186 off 79 balls between Ben Duckett & Will Jacks.
Fall of wickets: 74-1 (Tom Banton, 13.2), 85-2 (Ben Duckett, 15.6), 243-3 (Joe Root, 37.1), 429-4 (Harry Brook, 50.2)
Sri Lanka innings: over by over
Sri Lanka faced 107 dot balls (36%), hit 45 fours and 17 sixes, and got 3 extras. The best stand was 165 off 137 balls between Pavan Rathnayake.
Fall of wickets: 23-1 (Kamindu Mendis, 3.6), 24-2 (Avishka Fernando, 4.2), 189-3 (Avishka Fernando, 27.1), 321-4 (Pavan Rathnayake, 40.2), 361-5 (Dasun Shanaka, 43.6), 404-6 (Sahan Arachchige, 46.6), 421-7 (Dunith Wellalage, 49.2), 421-8 (Eshan Malinga, 49.3)
Our view
Even 429 Wasn't Enough! Sri Lanka Pull Off an Unbelievable Run Chase
How often do we see a team score 429 runs and still end up losing? England must have felt confident after posting such a massive total, especially with Harry Brook smashing a sensational double century. But Sri Lanka had other plans.
A staggering 859 runs were scored in the match, with both teams combining for 93 fours and 30 sixes. That's 552 runs from boundaries alone! These numbers tell you just how extraordinary this batting contest was.
Harry Brook played an incredible innings, scoring 202 runs off just 116 balls. A double century in ODI cricket is a special achievement, but imagine scoring 202 and still watching your team lose. That's what makes this match so remarkable.
Chasing 430 was never going to be easy. Sri Lanka needed more than just good batting. They needed courage, partnerships and the belief that they could pull off something special.
Pavan Rathnayake stepped up with a brilliant 130 off 106 balls, keeping Sri Lanka in the contest. Every time England looked ready to regain control, Sri Lanka found a way to fight back.
The final overs were pure drama. Boundaries kept coming, wickets added pressure, and the result remained uncertain until the very end. Then, on the fifth ball of the final over, Janith Liyanage smashed Josh Tongue for six to complete an unforgettable two-wicket victory.
What impressed us most wasn't just the 430-run chase. It was Sri Lanka's refusal to give up. Chasing a target this big requires an extraordinary mindset, and Sri Lanka showed exactly that.
For England, this defeat will be difficult to accept. Harry Brook's double century deserved a winning finish, but cricket doesn't always reward individual brilliance with a team victory.
Our final take: England produced an incredible batting performance, but Sri Lanka delivered an even greater response. With 859 runs, 123 boundaries and a last-over finish, this was the kind of ODI that reminds us why cricket can be so unpredictable.
Sometimes, even 429 runs aren't enough.
Top performers
- Harry Brook — 202 (116 balls)
- Pavan Rathnayake — 130 (106 balls)
- Avishka Fernando — 97 (83 balls)
- Josh Tongue — 3/79 (8.5 ov)
- Dunith Wellalage — 2/56 (10 ov)
- Sam Curran — 2/103 (9 ov)
Full scorecard and ball-by-ball commentary: Sri Lanka vs England
