Harry Brook double-ton smashes records to post massive target

Harry Brook blasted England's first-ever ODI double hundred, against Sri Lanka in Rawalpindi, the fastest in the format's 55-year history off just 114 balls. His innings took England to 429 for 4, the highest score that Sri Lanka had ever conceded in the format and the biggest total ever scored in Pakistan.

Brook was breathtaking, playing a series of outrageous scoops, reverse-scoops, pick-ups and flat-bats in partnerships worth 159 with Joe Root and 185 with Will Jacks. He utterly demolished Sri Lanka's attack, and reached 200 with a deft paddle-sweep for four in the final over of England's innings before holing out to deep point off the final ball.

In doing so, he became only the second man to complete the all-format '3-2-1' after Chris Gayle: a Test triple-century, an ODI double-hundred, and a T20I century. Brook looked exhausted after batting for two-and-a-half hours in the afternoon heat, and celebrated by exhaling deeply while acknowledging a standing ovation from the England dressing room.

Brook started scratchily in making 13 off his first 24 balls, struggling to get his innings moving. But he clicked into gear with consecutive sixes off Kamindu Mendis's left-arm spin and hardly looked back, laying into Sri Lanka's rotation of part-time options through the middle overs as their lack of a fifth frontline bowler cost them dearly, to the tune of 123 runs.

He targeted Janith Liyanage, drilling him straight down the ground then lapping him for six, and was soon laying into the rest of the attack. He nearly offered a chance on 67, edging Dilshan Madushanka's slower ball just short of Kusal Mendis after belting 4-4-6 earlier in the over, but otherwise cruised to a 75-ball hundred by scooping Asitha Fernando for four.

By that stage, Root had fallen, chipping Fernando to short midwicket for 69. But his dismissal only prompted Brook to put his foot to the floor, dipping into his box of tricks to leave Sri Lanka's bowlers looking utterly clueless as to how they might stop him.

He was ably supported by Jacks - promoted ahead of Sam Curran and Jordan Cox - who blasted his own 25-ball half-century, and briefly hogged the strike towards the end of the innings. But Brook seized his chance, whipping Madushanka over square leg for six to clear Ben Stokes' previous benchmark of 182 for England's highest ODI score.

Brook was dropped at mid-off three balls later by a diving Avishka Fernando, allowing him to take strike for the final over. He launched the first ball of it over the off side for six to pass 190, then scampered through for a brace of twos before lapping Liyanage for four, running through with arms aloft.

His acceleration followed a relatively steady start, as England reached 54 for 0 after 10 overs before losing both openers in quick succession. Tom Banton dominated the strike - and the scoring - through the initial Powerplay, reaching 50 for the fourth successive innings, but fell three balls later launching Dunith Wellalage straight to long-on.

Ben Duckett, his opening partner, had two early lives from Sahan Arachchige at point: he missed an attempted direct-hit run-out which would have found Duckett short at the non-striker's end, then put down a straightforward catch off a mistimed cut shot. Duckett eventually fell for a rhythmless 29 off 39, trapped lbw when attempting to sweep Wellalage's left-arm spin - not that it mattered.