Harry Brook's 202 ends on the losing side as England miss the final

Harry Brook scored 202 for England against Sri Lanka and still finished on the losing side. The Guardian says he became the first man to end up on the losing side after scoring an ODI double hundred. The match was played in Rawalpindi on 22 October 2026, as part of the one-day international (ODI) tri-series in Pakistan, where each side bats for up to 50 overs.

Brook faced 116 balls for his 202, and England finished on 429 for four. BBC Sport notes that it was the 14th double hundred in men's ODIs, and that his score was the 12th highest individual score in the format. Sri Lanka answered by chasing 430 for eight, winning the match with the target reached.

The result also shaped the wider tournament. On 27 October, Sri Lanka beat Pakistan by eight wickets to reach the final, and Reuters reported that England were knocked out with a match to spare. The tri-series ran from 18 to 31 October across Lahore and Rawalpindi.

Much of the debate around England has centred on spin bowling. Adil Rashid played the opening game against Pakistan, then was left out for the next three games. He had missed the end of the summer with a hand injury before returning to the squad. England preferred the left-arm spin of Liam Dawson, who is 36. In Pakistan, Dawson took seven wickets at an average of 21.42 runs each, with an economy rate of five runs an over.

England's coach, Brendon McCullum, said conditions probably went against picking Rashid. Pitches in Pakistan were expected to offer less help to wrist spinners like Rashid. The Guardian's analysis, headlined that Rashid's exile cost England, also points to his strong record in 50-over cricket in Australia, where England head next.

Sam Curran also returned to the squad. He came back from groin surgery and conceded 103 runs in England's defeat to Sri Lanka. Curran was player of the tournament at the 2022 T20 World Cup, when he took 13 wickets at an average of 11.38.

For fans, the lesson of the tri-series is simple. A huge total can still lose, and team selection in a short tournament can change the balance of a whole match. England's white-ball squads for Australia have already been named, so the question of who bowls spin there is the next thing to watch.