Sri Lanka chase down 430 to stun England in Rawalpindi

A record-breaking night in Pakistan, new umpires in Colombo and a WBBL season starting without Chamari.

Sport · CricketThe Dosage Sport Desk23 October 2026

Match card: England 429 for 4 in 50 overs, Sri Lanka 430 for 8 in 49.5 overs. Sri Lanka won by two wickets with one ball to spare at Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium on 22 October 2026. — Match card: The Dosage. Scores: ESPNcricinfo and CREX scorecard.

Sri Lanka Cricket: The Week · 17–23 October 2026

Sri Lanka’s men produced one of the great one-day run chases on Thursday, hunting down England’s 429 for 4 in Rawalpindi with a ball to spare. It was the second-highest successful chase in men’s ODI history and came only four days after a 37-run loss to Pakistan in the tri-series opener. With two group games left in Lahore, the side is right in the race for the 31 October final.

430Sri Lanka’s winning target against England

97Dasun Shanaka, from 50 balls

130Pavan Rathnayake’s century

51new Level 5 umpires certified by SLC

Sri Lanka men’s internationals

Record chase sinks England. England batted first and posted 429 for 4, the highest total Sri Lanka have ever conceded in an ODI. Harry Brook made 202, England’s first ODI double century (ESPNcricinfo; Prothom Alo). Sri Lanka slipped to 24 for 2 in the fifth over, then Pavan Rathnayake (130 from 106 balls) and Avishka Fernando (97 from 83) added 166 for the third wicket. Dasun Shanaka, promoted up the order, smashed 97 from 50 balls with eight sixes, and Janith Liyanage (61 not out from 27) finished it with a six off the second-last ball. Sri Lanka reached 430 for 8 in 49.5 overs to win by two wickets (scorecard, CREX; Rajasthan Royals match report). Reports say only South Africa’s 2006 chase against Australia in Johannesburg has been bigger.

Opening loss to Pakistan. In the first tri-series match on 18 October, Sri Lanka won the toss and bowled, dismissing Pakistan for 305 in 49.5 overs. Eshan Malinga took four wickets and Asitha Fernando three. Captain Salman Ali Agha’s century (107) proved the difference, as Sri Lanka were bowled out for 268 and lost by 37 runs (Radio Pakistan; Ada Derana).

The road to the final. Pakistan top the table with two wins from two, Sri Lanka have one win and England none (ESPNcricinfo). Beating England in Lahore on 29 October would guarantee Sri Lanka a place in the 31 October final, barring washouts.

Nissanka watch. Opener Pathum Nissanka misses the tri-series with a hamstring injury, and Lahiru Udara has come into the ODI squad (Express Tribune). Nissanka is named in the 15-man Test squad under new Test captain Kusal Mendis, but will travel only if he is declared medically fit (SLC media release, Test squad). The first Test starts in Rawalpindi on 9 November.

Women’s cricket

Quiet week. Sri Lanka women had no matches or squad news this week. Looking ahead, Australia’s women arrive on 10 December for three ODIs at Dambulla on 15, 18 and 20 December, part of the ICC Women’s Championship (SLC media release, Australia women’s tour).

Domestic and LPL

51 new umpires certified. Sri Lanka Cricket presented certificates to 51 umpires (47 men and four women) who passed the Level 5 exam, the entry point for umpiring in Sri Lanka. They can now stand in SLC’s District and Provincial tournaments and begin a pathway through Levels 4, 3 and 2 towards First Class status. Former ICC umpires Asoka De Silva and Lyndon Hannibal, now SLC’s Senior Manager, Umpire Development, attended the ceremony at SLC headquarters (SLC media release, Level 5 umpires).

Major Club four-day fixtures out. SLC has published the 2026/27 fixtures for the Major Club 4 Day League, the country’s top domestic first-class competition (SLC media release, fixtures). The full draw is on the SLC site.

LPL. No new Lanka Premier League announcements this week.

Sri Lankan players in Australia

Chamari not back at the Thunder. Sydney Thunder have chosen not to take up the third-year option on Sri Lanka captain Chamari Athapaththu’s contract, using the list spot to keep Tahlia Wilson. Athapaththu does not appear on any club’s list for the new season (cricket.com.au; Sportstralia). The league has dropped its overseas draft and gone back to direct signings, so a late deal with another club is still possible.

WBBL starts in Melbourne. WBBL|12 opens on Thursday 29 October with a double-header at Junction Oval: Renegades v Thunder in the afternoon, then Stars v Hurricanes at 7.10pm under the ground’s new lights (cricket.com.au). A good chance for local fans to get to a game. Read our WBBL preview →

Coming up

Tue 27 Oct: Pakistan v Sri Lanka, tri-series, Gaddafi Stadium, Lahore. 1.30pm PKT / 7.30pm AEDT
Thu 29 Oct: England v Sri Lanka, tri-series, Lahore. 7.30pm AEDT
Thu 29 Oct: WBBL|12 opens, Junction Oval, St Kilda. Stars v Hurricanes 7.10pm AEDT
Fri 30 Oct – Sun 1 Nov: Hong Kong Sixes, Kowloon. Sri Lanka (captain Sangeeth Cooray) are in Group B with Bangladesh and Scotland. Times to be confirmed (SLC media release, squad)
Sat 31 Oct: Tri-series final, Lahore (top two teams). 7.30pm AEDT
Further ahead: three-day tour match in Islamabad, 4–6 November; first Test v Pakistan, Rawalpindi, from 9 November

Sources: ESPNcricinfo, CREX scorecard, Sri Lanka Cricket media releases (srilankacricket.lk), Prothom Alo, Rajasthan Royals, Radio Pakistan, Ada Derana, Express Tribune, WION, The Papare, Wisden, cricket.com.au, Sportstralia. All times Melbourne (AEDT).