Rawalpindi: Following a historic 430-run chase against England, Sri Lankan skipper Kusal Mendis hailed the team for showing great character and belief and admitted to enjoying the chase as a captain.
After English skipper Harry Brook scored a first-ever double ton in ODIs by an Englishman, Sri Lankan batters took things to next level and stretched the extent of the word 'possible', by pulling off their highest ODI chase of 430 runs and overall only second-highest. Century from Pavan Rathnayake and explosive knocks from Avishka Fernando, Dasun Shanaka and Janith Liyanage matched Brook's historic knock in impact, handing England their second loss in the tri-series also featuring Pakistan.
Speaking after the match, Kusal said, "We chased very well today, I enjoyed it as captain. Me and coach spoke to the batters and said to play the first couple of overs normally. Then we decided for Dasun to come earlier, but everybody showed their character. I am very happy as a captain. Everyone believed we can do it. Everyday we talk about showing the character in team meetings, and it is about showing we can get any score."
Coming to the match, England was put to bat first by Sri Lanka. England started with a 74-run opening stand between Tom Banton (50 in 51 balls, with nine fours) and Ben Duckett (29 in 39 balls, with two fours). After their dismissal, England was reduced to 85/2. From there, two Yorkshire men, Brook and Joe Root (69 in 66 balls, with eight fours) put on a 159-run stand.
Root also got his slice of history, becoming the first-ever Englishman to score 8,000 ODI runs. Now, he has 8,005 runs in 197 matches and 186 innings at an average of 50.66, with 20 centuries and 49 fifties and a best score of 166*.
Towards the end, England was guided to 429/4, with a half-century by Will Jacks (66* in 30 balls, with eight fours and three sixes) and first-ever double ton by an Englishman by skipper Brook (202 in 116 balls, with 21 fours and 10 sixes).
Dunith Wellalage (2/56) was the pick of the bowlers for SL, with Eshan Malinga (0/91) and Dilshan Madushanka (0/89) being taken apart in their 10-over spells. Dasun Shanaka was looted for 74 runs in six overs.
During the chase, Sri Lanka started badly and was reduced to 24/2, having lost crucial wickets of Kamindu Mendis (18) and skipper Kusal Mendis (0). Avishka Fernando (97 in 83 ball, with 12 fours and two sixes) started a measured counter-attack alongside Pavan Rathnayake, stitching a 166-run stand for the third wicket.
Pavan, who slammed a career-best 130 in 106 balls, with 15 fours and three sixes, kept the flame of hope burning with a 133-run partnership with hard-hitting Dasun Shanaka (97 in 50 balls, with six fours and eight sixes).
At the time of Shanaka's dismissal in 44th over, SL still needed 67 in six overs and it was Janith Liyanage (61* in 27 balls, with seven fours and three sixes) who pulled off a miracle with some support from lower-order, even if Josh Tongue (3/79) threatened to derail the chase with back-to-back wickets in final over.
Sam Curran (2/103) was hit all over the park in his nine-over spell.