Brook defends Rashid omission after England's record-chase loss
- England lost to Sri Lanka after failing to defend 429 runs.
- Harry Brook became England's first ODI double centurion with 202 off 116 balls.
- Brook defended the tactical decision to replace Adil Rashid with Liam Dawson.
- Nasser Hussain noted Rashid's recent form drop ahead of next year's World Cup.
- England faces Pakistan in Lahore on Sunday with Rashid potentially returning.
England failed to defend a total of 429 runs against Sri Lanka in Rawalpindi on Thursday, resulting in a loss by two wickets with only one ball remaining. Sri Lanka reached 430 for 8 to secure the win.
This result marked the second-highest successful run-chase in the history of One Day Internationals.
Harry Brook scores historic 202 in losing effort
Harry Brook became England's first double centurion in ODIs, scoring 202 off 116 balls. He broke the record previously held by Shubman Gill for the quickest-ever double century in the format.
Brook justifies Adil Rashid's tactical omission
England left 38-year-old Adil Rashid out of the playing XI for the match in Rawalpindi despite him being fit and available. The team selected Liam Dawson in his place for tactical reasons.
Brook said Liam Dawson was "probably the pick of the bowlers" after he took 1 for 71 from 10 overs.
Brook described this performance as the tightest return of any England bowler on the day.
England's bowling execution falls short
Harry Brook admitted the team failed to execute their bowling plans for long enough during the match. He said: "The bowling, we probably didn't execute - well, we definitely didn't execute what we were trying to do for long enough".
Brook noted the team wanted to keep the stumps in play as much as possible. He said: "We were probably erring on the shorter side, which played into their hands".
Adil Rashid's form and future in the squad
Adil Rashid has taken 12 wickets in his past 10 ODIs at an average of 39.58 and an economy rate of 6.01. In the series opener against Pakistan, he recorded figures of 1 for 55 from eight overs.
Since June 2015, Rashid has played 159 of England's 186 men's ODIs and is the side's second-highest wicket-taker in the format. He is rarely left out when selected in a squad, with his last omission occurring against Australia after the 2022 T20 World Cup.
Nasser Hussain said on Sky Sports that Rashid's form has "just dropped off". Hussain noted England's struggle to take wickets in the middle overs and stated the team needs Rashid back to his best ahead of next year's World Cup.
Hussain also suggested on Sky Sports that the return of Jofra Archer would help provide firepower to the England side.
Mason Crane and upcoming Pakistan fixture
England has brought Mason Crane on tour as a back-up legspinner, preferring him over Rehan Ahmed. Crane has not yet featured in the series.
England faces Pakistan in Lahore on Sunday for the next match of the tri-series. Adil Rashid is expected to be in contention for the XI for this fixture.
Frequently Asked Questions
- Brook defends Rashid omission after England fail to defend 429 (cricinfo.com)
- Brook defends decision to leave out Adil Rashid after England fail to defend 429 against Sri Lanka (crictracker.com)
- England (Wikipedia — background) (en.wikipedia.org)
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