England ended a miserable tri-series in Pakistan with a 55-run win over Sri Lanka in their dead rubber as Ben Duckett continued his love affair with Lahore.
Duckett made it back-to-back hundreds and three in four innings at the Gaddafi Stadium with a sparkling 167 off 132 balls, with fellow opener Tom Banton contributing 74 in England’s mammoth 386 for five.
Having failed to defend 429 against the same opponents last Thursday, England might have felt a case of deja vu when Pavan Rathnayake made his second successive century against Harry Brook’s side.
But Rathnayake lacked support from his middle-order colleagues and when he sliced a sweep off Liam Dawson to depart for a majestic 118 off 77 balls, the eighth wicket to fall, the writing was on the wall.
Sri Lanka were all out for 331 and England, having had chances to win all three previous matches and squandered seemingly unlosable positions in their last two, finally got over the line for a first victory in seven ODIs in Pakistan.
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