Brook

One-day international tri-series, Rawalpindi

England 429-4 (50 overs): Brook 202, Root 69, Jacks 66*

Sri Lanka 430-8 (49.5 overs): Rathnayake 130, Avishka 97, Shanaka 97

Sri Lanka won by two wickets

Scorecard

Harry Brook’s first double century by an England batter in a one-day international was not enough to prevent his team being stunned by Sri Lanka, who pulled off a remarkable chase of 430 in Rawalpindi.

Brook passed Ben Stokes’ previous England best score of 182 and posted the fastest ODI double hundred, off 114 balls, in his astonishing 202.

In clobbering the 14th double-hundred in a men’s one-day international and the 12th highest individual score, Brook lifted England to 429-4 – at halfway the highest total made in a one-day international in Pakistan.

But Sri Lanka, who chose to bat second, were not deterred, even when they were reduced to 24-2. They set about completing the second-highest successful chase in ODI history.

Pavan Rathnayake made a sublime 130, while Aviksha Fernando and Dasun Shanaka both added 97.

With Jofra Archer rested for the tri-series and leg-spinner Adil Rashid left out of this match for tactical reasons, England’s bowling was woeful. Sam Curran conceded 103 runs from his nine overs.

Up with the required rate throughout their innings, Sri Lanka needed 109 from the final 10 overs and were able to absorb the losses of Rathnayake and Shanaka.

Sri Lanka needed eight off the final over, sent down by Josh Tongue, who was pinpoint with his accuracy to bowl Dinuth Wellalage and Eshan Malinga with successive deliveries.

But in a sensational finish, Janith Liyanage, the man bowling when Brook reached 200, would not be denied.

With six needed from two balls, Liyanage pummelled Tongue’s penultimate delivery of the match down the ground for a match-winning maximum, sparking joyous Sri Lankan celebrations.

One of the most incredible one-day internationals ever played ended with an aggregate of 847 runs, behind only a match total of 872 when South Africa chased 435 to beat Australia in 2006.

The total of 123 boundaries across both innings – 93 fours and 30 sixes – is also a record in ODIs.

Brook remains one of England’s most fascinating cricketers.

Despite being white-ball skipper and serving as Test vice-captain, he was overlooked for the red-ball job when Ben Stokes retired, with Joe Root preferred.

He averages a formidable 53.08 in Tests – the highest for England in almost 60 years – with 10 centuries, but often draws criticism for his aggressive, some say reckless, batting.

While he has failed to convert any of his seven fifties into centuries since the Ashes, he still averages 41.57 and has scored hundreds as captain in T20s and one-day internationals in that time.

“I enjoy the extra responsibility,” he said. “I like the extra little bit of added pressure.

“I’m not going to go out there and score runs every time I bat but I want to be the man that is in that match-winning situation who can get us over the line.

“I know there have been a few innings where I haven’t managed to do that but hopefully I’ve turned that corner and I can really be the man England fans and the team rely on.”

The debate around Brook was perhaps best summed up by Stokes telling the Yorkshireman he is talented enough to average 65 or 70.

“Personally I’m not that bothered about the stats, I’ve always said I think there should be a match-winning column in your stats – that’s not there,” Brook said.

“I write stuff down and I try and judge myself on whether I’ve had a match-winning performance or match-winning impact in that specific game and I try and tally it up at the end of the year and see how well I’ve done.”