Sri Lanka achieved a historic victory in One Day International (ODI) cricket on Thursday by chasing down England’s formidable total of 429-4, ultimately scoring 430-8 to secure a thrilling two-wicket win. This remarkable feat marks the second-highest successful run chase in ODI history.
The match saw England captain Harry Brook deliver a sensational performance, scoring 202 runs off 116 balls, making him the first England batter to hit a double century in men’s ODI cricket. Despite Brook’s record-breaking innings, England faced their second consecutive defeat in the tri-series.
Sri Lanka’s chase was bolstered by a 166-run partnership between Avishka Fernando, who narrowly missed out on a century with 97 runs, and Pavan Rathnayake, who made a powerful contribution with 130 runs off 106 balls. Captain Dasun Shanaka added to the momentum with a rapid 97 from just 50 deliveries.
As the match reached its climax, Janith Liyanage played a crucial role, remaining unbeaten with 61 runs from 27 balls. With six runs needed from the final two deliveries, Liyanage struck a decisive six over long-off, sealing one of Sri Lanka’s most memorable victories in ODI history.
In other cricketing news, South Africa leveled their Test series against Australia by defeating them by an innings and 31 runs in the second Test at St George’s Park in Gqeberha. Despite rain interruptions on the final day, South Africa managed to dismiss Australia for 295 in their second innings, concluding the match with a resounding win.
This victory equalized the series at 1-1 after Australia had dominated the first Test in Durban with a 214-run win. The result now sets the stage for a decisive third Test in Cape Town, where both teams will vie for the series victory and crucial World Test Championship points.