England beat Sri Lanka by 55 runs despite Pavan Rathnayake century in dead rubber
England won the Tri-Nation Series dead rubber in Lahore after Pavan Rathnayake's 118 was not enough to chase 386-5.
England won by 55 runs in Lahore on Thursday. Pavan Rathnayake scored 118 for Sri Lanka, who were bowled out for 331.
Key takeaways
- England won by 55 runs in Lahore on Thursday
- Ben Duckett scored 167 as England made 386-5
- Pavan Rathnayake made 118 for Sri Lanka, who were bowled out for 331
- Liam Dawson took 4-49, his career-best ODI figures
- Sri Lanka will play Pakistan in Saturday's final in Lahore
1 overs. Ben Duckett smashed his highest ODI score of 167 off 132 balls, including 24 boundaries, to propel England to 386-5 after they were put in to bat.
Duckett put on 163 for the opening wicket with Tom Banton, who scored 74, and added another 107 off just 75 balls for the second wicket with Harry Brook, who made 34 off 34 balls with two sixes and three fours.
Jordan Cox contributed 43, Will Jacks made 30, and Sam Curran was 21 not out as England added 92 runs in the last ten overs.
Eshan Malinga took the wicket of Duckett in the 42nd over and finished with figures of 0-101, while Asitha Fernando took 2-63.
Sri Lanka chase falls short
Pavan Rathnayake hit his third ODI hundred, a 77-ball 118 with 15 boundaries and a six, but it was not enough as Sri Lanka were dismissed for 331. Skipper Kusal Mendis made 89 off 71 balls with five sixes and eight boundaries.
Mendis added 84 for the second wicket with Avishka Fernando, who scored a quickfire 48, and then put on 80 for the third wicket off just 59 balls with Rathnayake.
Rathnayake kept the fight going with a 72-run stand for the fifth wicket with Janith Liyanage, who scored 30, but Sonny Baker broke the stand to bring England back in the game.
With 87 needed in the last ten overs, Sri Lanka were on course for another upset victory before Liam Dawson dismissed Rathnayake caught off a miscued sweep in the 45th over. Dawson finished with career-best figures of 4-49, while Baker finished with 2-75.
Reaction and what happens next
Harry Brook said, "The way we finished the game off, we've learned a lot from the game when they chased 430. That's really good. I wasn't getting nervy, to be honest.
We haven't had the series we wanted, we'd have liked to be in the final on Saturday. " Despite the loss, Sri Lanka advance to Saturday's final against Pakistan, also in Lahore. England depart with just one win in four games.
On the same day last week, Rathnayake scored 130 in Sri Lanka's 430-run chase in Rawalpindi. Pavan Rathnayake made his first-class debut for Sri Lanka Police Sports Club in Tier B of the 2018-19 Premier League Tournament on 17 April 2019.
Sri Lanka toured Pakistan in November 2025 to play three ODIs followed by a tri-nation T20I series also involving Zimbabwe, with all matches played at the Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium.
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