England converted a dominant opening stand into a 55-run win over Sri Lanka at Gaddafi Stadium in Lahore, making 386/5 before dismissing their opponents for 331 in 45.1 overs. Their batting depth left Sri Lanka little room for error in the sixth match of the Tri-Series 2026, although substantial middle-order resistance kept the chase alive.
An opening stand sets up England's big finish
Ben Duckett's 167 from 132 balls provided the foundation after Sri Lanka elected to bowl. His innings contained 24 fours but no sixes, with successive partners helping England build on the start rather than leaving everything to a late assault.
Tom Banton contributed 74 from 75 balls to an opening partnership of 163, striking eight fours and two sixes. Sri Lanka had to wait until the final ball of the 25th over for their first wicket, when Dasun Shanaka bowled him. By then, England had established a base with all their middle-order resources intact.
Harry Brook maintained the momentum with 44 from 34 deliveries. His second-wicket stand with Duckett added 107 before Asitha Fernando caught him off his own bowling at 270/2 in the 38th over. That breakthrough brought another productive contribution rather than a sustained interruption.
Duckett stayed until the 42nd over, when Asitha caught him off Eshan Malinga at 301/3. Will Jacks supplied 30 from 21 balls before Asitha bowled him, while Jordan Cox carried the innings towards its finish with 43 from 27.
Cox and Sam Curran added 45 for the fifth wicket, with Curran unbeaten on 21 from 12 deliveries. Dilshan Madushanka removed Cox from the final ball, too late to affect England's acceleration. Asitha's 2/63 from ten overs offered Sri Lanka some restraint, but Malinga conceded 101 from his ten: dismissing the innings' principal scorer had not prevented an expensive outing.
Sri Lanka's resistance ends in a late collapse
Sonny Baker bowled Kamindu Mendis for 4 to leave Sri Lanka 13/1, but Avishka Fernando and Kusal Mendis rebuilt with an 84-run second-wicket stand. Avishka made 48 from 50 balls before Will Jacks caught him off Liam Dawson, who finished with 4/49.
Kusal's 89 from 71 deliveries included eight fours and five sixes, giving the reply impetus as well as stability. He shared 80 with Pavan Rathnayake, who made 118 from 77 balls, before Jordan Cox caught him off Joe Root at 177/3. Dawson then trapped Shanaka lbw for 4, leaving Rathnayake to rebuild again at 186/4.
Janith Liyanage provided forceful support, hitting three sixes in 27 from 17 balls during a fifth-wicket partnership of 72. Baker ended that stand when Harry Brook took the catch in the 36th over, but Sri Lanka found another partner for Rathnayake rather than immediately subsiding.
Sahan Arachchige contributed 30 from 24 deliveries to a further stand of 57. Rathnayake's innings, featuring 15 fours and a six, remained the thread connecting those partnerships. England needed wickets to stop that succession of useful contributions.
Henry Crocombe supplied the breakthrough when Brook caught Arachchige at 315/6 in the 43rd over. Dunith Wellalage was then run out, before Dawson removed Rathnayake, caught by Baker, at 329/8. With the centurion gone, Sri Lanka had lost the batter around whom the latter stages of their chase had been built.
Dawson also had Asitha caught by Banton before Curran bowled Malinga to finish the match. England had conceded several substantial stands, but their repeated breakthroughs prevented Sri Lanka from carrying one through to the finish.