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Match 6 | Sri Lanka vs England | ODI Tri Series 2026 | Gaddafi Stadium, Lahore
Harry Brook against Pavan Rathnayake is the clearest contest, because both scored heavily on 22 October when Sri Lanka reached 430 and won by two wickets. Their meeting sits inside a wider fight over who controls the closing overs of a long, high-scoring game. Joe Root’s record against Lankan attacks and Tongue’s final-over work against the finishers add further layers. High scores are normal at this ground, so the side that wins these small fights will probably win the match.
Harry Brook and Pavan Rathnayake played the two biggest innings of the 22 October thriller, and their meeting sets the tone for the rematch. Brook hammered 202 from 116 balls with 21 fours and 10 sixes at a strike rate of 174.13. Rathnayake answered with 130 from 106 balls at 122.64, hitting 15 fours and three sixes.
Rathnayake’s innings carried the chase while Brook’s carried the total, and the contrast shows what each side wants from its best batter. England look for speed from the first ball, whereas Sri Lanka lean on a batter who stays in and lets others attack around him. Whoever lasts longer this time will control the middle overs.
| Stat | Harry Brook (England) | Pavan Rathnayake (Sri Lanka) |
| Runs | 202 | 130 |
| Balls faced | 116 | 106 |
| Strike rate | 174.13 | 122.64 |
| Fours and sixes | 21 and 10 | 15 and 3 |
The finish on 22 October holds the most memorable contest of all. Tongue bowled the last over with Sri Lanka needing 8 runs, and he removed two batters, yet Liyanage struck a six off the penultimate ball to settle it. Liyanage ended unbeaten on 61 from 27 balls, a cameo that turned a tense chase into a victory.
Tongue finished with 3/79 at an economy rate of 8.94, which tells its own story about how expensive the day was for England’s attack. Fernando and Shanaka each made 97 in the same chase, so England had to find answers to several hitters rather than one. Expect captains to plan the last five overs from the opening toss.
Scoring conditions at this ground have been generous. Across the last 13 ODIs, from 2022 to 2026, the average first-innings score is 286.0, against 247.5 for the side batting second. The all-time first-innings average sits lower at 257, which shows how much the recent matches have leaned toward batters.
The 22 October game pushed those numbers to an extreme, with 429 for four answered by 430 for eight. A chasing side that keeps wickets in hand can still catch a huge total here. Bowlers who hold their length and avoid easy boundaries therefore matter more than raw pace.
Joe Root has scored 1,502 ODI runs against Sri Lanka at an average of 62.58, including three hundreds. That record makes him the batter whose early dismissal changes the whole feel of an England innings. Sri Lanka’s seamers will target his first overs, because settled Root innings have tended to build the platform for others.
Detailed pair-by-pair records are thin for the other shortlisted matchups, so the picture is partial. Brook’s 202 shows that a single quality innings can overshadow any older numbers. Bowlers will need to treat each fresh over as a new contest instead of relying on history, and captains will rotate them early.
England have won only one of their last five ODIs, a 223-run victory over Sri Lanka powered by Banton’s 126. They have lost narrowly to Pakistan by one wicket, to Sri Lanka by two wickets and to Sri Lanka by 16 runs, with Duckett and Brook both scoring centuries in defeat. Baker’s 3/65 in a loss to Pakistan was the standout bowling return.
Sri Lanka have won two of their last five, beating England twice behind Rathnayake’s 130 and Kusal Mendis’s 121. Their other results came as defeats to Pakistan by 37 runs, with Malinga taking 4/46, and to England by 223 runs. Overall, England lead the ODI head-to-head 42 to 40 with one tie, so the Sri Lanka vs England tri-series 2026 duels may decide a rivalry that is too close to call on paper.
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What is the ODI head-to-head record between Sri Lanka and England?
England lead the ODI head-to-head with 42 wins to Sri Lanka’s 40. One match ended in a tie, and three produced no result across 86 meetings in the format.
Who scored the most runs against England in the last tri-series meeting?
Pavan Rathnayake scored 130 off 106 balls on 22 October. His innings helped Sri Lanka chase down 430 and win by two wickets on the day.
What is the average first-innings score in ODIs at Gaddafi Stadium?
The average first-innings score is 286.0 over the last 13 ODIs. The all-time first-innings average at the ground is lower at 257, while chasing sides have averaged 247.5 recently.
Who won the last Sri Lanka and England match in the tri-series?
Sri Lanka won by two wickets on 22 October. They scored 430 for eight to overhaul England’s 429 for four, finishing with two wickets still in hand.
Which Sri Lankan batter finished the last chase against England?
Liyanage finished the chase unbeaten on 61 from 27 balls for Sri Lanka. He hit a six off the penultimate ball of the final over to seal the win.
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