England Beat Sri Lanka by 55 Runs as Duckett Hits Career Best 167 in Lahore

Photo: AP via Outlook India

Ben Duckett hit the highest score of his one day career, 167 off 132 balls, as England beat Sri Lanka by 55 runs in Lahore on Thursday to end their tri-series campaign with a win.

England piled up 386 for 5 after Sri Lanka won the toss and chose to bowl at Gaddafi Stadium, then bowled Sri Lanka out for 331 in 45.1 overs. It was England's first win of the series, but it came too late to change the final line up: Pakistan meet Sri Lanka in Saturday's final in Lahore, while England go home.

Main News Report: England vs Sri Lanka, Duckett 167 Sets Up 55 Run Win

Duckett and Tom Banton gave England the start they had been missing all series. The pair put on 163 for the first wicket in 25 overs, with Banton making 74 off 75 balls before Dasun Shanaka bowled him with the last ball of the 25th over.

Duckett carried on with captain Harry Brook, and their second wicket stand added 107 runs. Brook made a brisk 44 off 34 balls before Asitha Fernando caught him off his own bowling. Duckett stayed until the 42nd over, when he was caught off Eshan Malinga for 167, an innings that held 24 fours and no sixes.

Will Jacks added 30 off 21 balls and Jordan Cox finished with 43 off 27, while Sam Curran stayed unbeaten on 21 off 12, as England closed on 386 for 5. Asitha Fernando took 2 for 63, but Malinga went for 101 runs in his ten overs.

Sri Lanka's reply had real life in it. Pavan Rathnayake struck 118 off 77 balls and captain Kusal Mendis made 89, and Sri Lanka passed 300 with five wickets still in hand, which briefly raised the thought of another big chase against England. Then Liam Dawson broke through, removing Rathnayake on his way to 4 for 49, and the chase fell away. Sonny Baker took 2 for 75, Curran took 1 for 44, and Sri Lanka were all out for 331.

• England: 386 for 5 in 50 overs (Duckett 167, Banton 74, Brook 44)
• Sri Lanka: 331 all out in 45.1 overs (Rathnayake 118, Kusal Mendis 89)
• Result: England won by 55 runs at Gaddafi Stadium, Lahore
• Best with the ball: Liam Dawson 4 for 49 for England

Background Context

England came into this match with nothing left to play for in the table. They had lost their first three matches of the tri-series, and their hopes of reaching the final ended on Tuesday when Pakistan lost to Sri Lanka in Lahore. Thursday's game was a dead rubber in terms of the final, but not in terms of pride, after three straight defeats in which England had let strong positions slip.

Sri Lanka, by contrast, had already booked their place in the final and had beaten England earlier in the series. That is why the chase stayed alive so long: this Sri Lanka side had already shown it could hunt down a big England total, and Rathnayake and Mendis batted like they believed they could do it again.

For readers in Pakistan, the match also served as a last look at both sides before Saturday's final. Sri Lanka's batting depth will be the worry for Pakistan, while England's big total showed that the Lahore pitch still rewards batters who get set.

Reactions and Statements

Sky Sports summed up the night as England ending a disappointing tri-series campaign on a high, with Duckett's career best innings and Dawson's four wickets doing the work. The report noted that England defended a commanding target of 387 and claimed a consolation win after a run of defeats.

The numbers tell the story of where the game turned. Sri Lanka were 300 up with wickets in hand and the chase on, then Dawson removed Rathnayake and the middle order could not rebuild. Baker's two wickets and tight spells from the rest of the attack closed the game out with 29 balls left unused.

There was also a small note of history for Duckett. His 167 is now the highest score of his one day international career, and it came in a match where England badly needed one batter to bat long. He did, for 132 balls, and that gave the rest of the batting order the freedom to attack late on.

Why This News Matters

First, it stops a losing run that was starting to hurt England's one day standing. Three defeats in a row, including games they had controlled at stages, had raised fair questions about their ability to finish matches. A 55 run win, built on a huge total and finished with the ball, answers at least part of that.

Second, it matters for Saturday's final. Sri Lanka go into the title match against Pakistan with a batting line up in form: Rathnayake's 118 off 77 balls and Mendis's 89 show they can score fast against a good attack, even in a losing cause. Pakistan's bowlers will have watched how Dawson slowed the chase with spin at the key moment.

Third, Duckett's innings matters on its own. A career best score in a dead rubber still counts, and 167 off 132 balls with 24 fours is the kind of innings that settles a batter's place in a side. For England fans, it is also a reminder of the batting talent in this squad, even after a poor series.

Future Developments

The tri-series final takes place on Saturday in Lahore, with Pakistan facing Sri Lanka. Pakistan reached the final after their one wicket win over England on Sunday, when Shadab Khan's century carried them home, while Sri Lanka booked their spot with their win over Pakistan on Tuesday.

England now head home to review a series that promised more than it gave. The questions for Harry Brook's side will be about closing out matches: they lost three games from positions of strength, then won the one game where the result did not matter. That pattern, more than any single defeat, is what their coaches will need to fix before the next one day series.

For Sri Lanka, the task is simpler. They need to carry Thursday's batting form into Saturday, but find a way to bowl better at the death: conceding 386, with Malinga going for 101 runs, is not a recipe for winning a final against Pakistan in Lahore.

Related PakInsight Hub coverage: Inter Miami rescue a 2-2 draw with Cincinnati as Messi goes scoreless, Liverpool beat Chelsea on penalties and Man City edge Brighton in the League Cup, and Milwaukee Brewers win their first World Series title.

Sources

Sky Sports: Sri Lanka vs England, Duckett and Dawson deliver career bests in consolation win
ESPNcricinfo: England vs Sri Lanka, 6th match scorecard, Lahore
A-Sports: Duckett and Dawson help England seal consolation win over Sri Lanka

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