Ben Duckett 167 Leads England to 386 in Lahore
Ben Duckett 167 powered England to a massive total against Sri Lanka in the Pakistan-hosted ODI tri-series on Thursday, 29 October 2026. England piled up 386 for five in their 50 overs at Gaddafi Stadium, Lahore, in the last league-stage fixture of the series.
Sri Lanka captain Kusal Mendis chose to field first. That decision backfired. England’s openers built a huge platform, and the middle order kept the momentum going until the final over.
Duckett top-scored with 167 off 132 balls, studded with 24 boundaries. He shared two century partnerships, first with fellow opener Tom Banton and then with captain Harry Brook. His innings set the tone for the highest team total of the match.
Ben Duckett 167: two century stands built the innings
England started fast. Banton and Duckett raised a marathon 163-run partnership for the first wicket. Both openers reached half-centuries during the stand, and Sri Lanka’s bowlers could not break through in the early overs.
Dasun Shanaka finally gave Sri Lanka the first breakthrough at the halfway mark of the innings. He cleaned up Banton, who walked back after scoring 74 off 75 balls, with eight fours and two sixes. The partnership had already done its damage, and England were well placed.
Duckett then raised a second century stand. He added 107 runs for the second wicket with Brook, who contributed a brisk 44 off 34 balls before falling to Asitha Fernando in the 38th over. Duckett followed 22 balls later, in the 42nd over, when he scooped a slower full toss from Eshan Malinga straight to Fernando at short fine-leg.
His dismissal did not slow England. Wicketkeeper Jordan Cox took charge of the late charge with a blistering 43 off just 27 balls, including four boundaries and a six. Cox shared useful partnerships with Will Jacks and Sam Curran, who chipped in 30 and 21 not out respectively. England closed on 386 for five, a total that put Sri Lanka under pressure before their chase began.
Fernando stood out in a tough day for Sri Lanka
Fernando was the standout bowler for Sri Lanka. He picked up two wickets for 63 runs in his 10 overs, and he also took the catch that ended Duckett’s innings. Dilshan Madushanka, Shanaka and Malinga claimed one wicket apiece, but none could stem the flow of runs for long.
Sri Lanka’s bowlers faced a flat pitch and an England top order in full flow. Duckett’s 24 boundaries show how often he found the gaps, and how rarely Sri Lanka could build pressure with dot balls. The 163-run opening stand also meant that Sri Lanka spent the first half of the innings chasing the game.
The match is the last league-stage fixture of the tri-series hosted by Pakistan. England’s total therefore carries weight beyond one match. A win built on 386 would send a strong signal to the other finalists, while a successful Sri Lanka chase would rank among the great ODI run chases in Lahore.
Duckett’s innings in the context of the series
Duckett’s knock continues a run of big individual scores in this tri-series. Harry Brook scored the fastest ODI double century in Rawalpindi earlier in the series, and Pakistan beat England in the second ODI on a six-wicket haul by Arafat Minhas. The series has therefore swung between huge batting displays and sudden bowling collapses.
England arrived in Pakistan for this series with a settled white-ball squad. England arrived in Pakistan for the ODI tri-series this month, and Mason Crane earned an England recall for the series. Duckett’s innings shows why England’s batting depth worries opponents. Even after Banton and Brook fell, Cox, Jacks and Curran kept scoring at a fast rate.
For Sri Lanka, the chase that follows will test their batting depth. They need 387 to win, at more than seven runs an over from the start. Their openers must match England’s start, or the required rate will climb beyond reach by the middle overs. The Gaddafi Stadium crowd, which has seen big totals all series, will expect a chase that goes deep into the evening.
Frequently asked questions
What did Ben Duckett score against Sri Lanka?
Duckett scored 167 off 132 balls, with 24 boundaries, before falling in the 42nd over to Eshan Malinga.
