RAWALPINDI: England captain Harry Brook admitted his side had failed to execute their bowling plans after Sri Lanka chased down a daunting 430-run target to register a remarkable two-wicket victory in the tri-series on Thursday, despite his record-breaking double century.
Brook smashed 202 off 116 deliveries to propel England to 429-4, becoming the first English batter to score an ODI double hundred. However, Sri Lanka produced a stunning response, reaching 430-8 with one ball remaining to complete the second-highest successful run chase in the format’s history.
“Extremely disappointing. Unfortunately, we haven’t been able to defend 430 runs,” Brook said after the match. “I think we didn’t execute where we were trying to bowl as well as we could have done. We probably played into their hands a little bit too much.”
The England captain, however, acknowledged the quality of Sri Lanka’s batting, which was led by Pavan Rathnayake’s 130, with Avishka Fernando and Dasun Shanaka both scoring 97 before Janith Liyanage struck an unbeaten 61 off just 27 balls to seal victory.
“On the flip side, I thought they played exceptionally well. To be involved in a game like that was incredible. Hats off to Sri Lanka because they played an absolute blinder,” Brook said.
Asked whether his double century offered any consolation, the England skipper said individual milestones meant little without a winning result.
“I want to make match-winning contributions and have a match-winning impact. Unfortunately, I’ve got 200 and it hasn’t been match-winning, so in my eyes, it doesn’t matter,” he said.
Brook also pointed to England’s failure to maintain the right lengths, saying their bowlers had strayed too frequently towards shorter deliveries instead of targeting the stumps.
“We wanted to keep the stumps in play as much as we possibly could. We were probably bowling on the shorter side, which played into their hands,” he said, while stressing that Sri Lanka still had to execute their shots and build partnerships to complete the chase.
The England captain described the surface as an excellent batting wicket, noting that the conditions had become more favourable in the second innings as dew set in.
“I thought the wicket was exceptional. Nearly 900 runs on that pitch — it probably got a little bit better in the second half with the dew,” he said, adding that his team had lessons to learn from the defeat.
Brook also defended the decision to bring Liam Dawson into the side in place of Adil Rashid, saying the left-arm spinner had been England’s most effective bowler on the day.
While England reflected on their bowling shortcomings, Rathnayake said Sri Lanka’s success had stemmed from backing their natural game and maintaining a positive approach despite losing early wickets.
Sri Lanka slipped to 24-2 before Rathnayake and Avishka revived the innings with a 166-run partnership. Rathnayake then joined Shanaka in a rapid stand that kept Sri Lanka in contention before Liyanage’s late assault settled the contest.
“Our batters played a positive game and backed their strengths. I think everyone contributed to the winning moment,” Rathnayake said, crediting his team-mates for their collective effort.
Asked about the challenge of chasing such a formidable total, the batter said the team management had encouraged the players to trust their usual approach rather than be overwhelmed by the target.
“He said every time we should play our normal game. Basically, that’s it,” Rathnayake said, referring to coach Gary Kirsten’s message to the team.
He also acknowledged that the dew had helped the batters in the second innings, making it easier to play their shots.
The victory offered Sri Lanka a significant boost in the tri-series, while England suffered their second defeat in three days. For Brook, the extraordinary personal milestone was ultimately overshadowed by a defeat that exposed England’s inability to defend even a total approaching 430.
Published in Dawn, October 24th, 2026
