Duckett and Dawson Star as England Beat Sri Lanka in ODI

Ben Duckett registered the highest score of his ODI career to help England conclude their tri-series campaign with a 55-run victory over Sri Lanka in Lahore. Harry Brook’s side successfully defended a commanding total of 387 to claim a consolation win after suffering three consecutive group stage defeats that had already eliminated them from reaching the final.

Duckett and Banton Lead Batting Display

Opting to bat first after losing the toss, England posted 386-5 as Duckett smashed 167 runs from just 132 deliveries, featuring 24 fours. He built a 163-run opening partnership with Tom Banton, who contributed 74 runs from 49 balls before chopping an inside edge off Dasun Shanaka onto his stumps. Duckett then shared a 107-run stand with captain Brook, who added 44 runs before being caught and bowled by Asitha Fernando. Duckett’s exceptional innings came to an end when he picked out Asitha at short leg while attempting a scoop shot off a full toss from Malinga. Later in the innings, Will Jacks contributed 30 runs, Jordan Cox added 43, and Sam Curran finished unbeaten on 21 to set a massive target.

Bowling Attack Secures Victory

Sri Lanka mounted a strong chase, threatening a repeat of their previous victory over England after surpassing 300 runs with five wickets in hand. Pavan Rathnayake led the reply with a brilliant 118 off 77 deliveries, while Kusal Mendis added 89 runs, recovering from a broken bat to hit 13 boundaries and five sixes. Liam Dawson swung the momentum back for England by finishing with figures of 4-49, removing Rathnayake, who top-edged a catch to short fine leg. Sonny Baker claimed 2-75, while Henry Crocombe, Joe Root, and Sam Curran each took a single wicket. England dismissed Sri Lanka for 331 runs in 45.1 overs, taking the final three wickets within six deliveries to seal the win with 29 balls remaining.

Reaction and Upcoming Fixtures

Reflecting on his performance, player of the match Duckett told SkySports that he simply wanted to score runs and put the team in a good position, praising the batting-friendly pitches and Banton’s pressure-relieving start at the top of the order. Brook stated that the team batted well throughout the series and learned valuable lessons from previous matches, expressing confidence in the squad despite missing out on the final. Pakistan and Sri Lanka will meet in the tri-series final in Lahore, while England’s next assignment is a 50-over warm-up match against a Western Australia XI at the WACA ground in Perth on November 7.