'I know the feeling' - WI coach Darren Sammy brings up India's chase of 406 after SL chases 430 vs England originally appeared on Cricket News . Add Cricket News as a Preferred Source by clicking here .
Sri Lanka chased 430 to beat England by two wickets, the second-highest ODI chase.
Darren Sammy, who saw Gill's 223 in Guwahati, tweeted that no score is safe.
Harry Brook's record 202 off 116 balls was wasted as England lost again.
Darren Sammy has a rare understanding of how it feels to watch a huge total vanish in an ODI, and he made that clear on social media after Sri Lanka chased down 430 against England in Rawalpindi.
The West Indies coach had been at the ACA Stadium in Guwahati when India overhauled 406, so he has now seen two giant targets fall within days of each other.
Sri Lanka completed a two-wicket win over England in their tri-series match, and it is the second-highest successful chase in ODI history. It is only the third time a team has chased more than 400 in the format, and the result earned Sri Lanka their first points in the tournament.
England had batted superbly, with Harry Brook smashing 202 off 116 deliveries, the fastest double century in ODI history and the first by an Englishman. He was dismissed off the final ball of the innings, and England's 429-4 was their fourth-highest total ever in 50-over cricket.
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The chase began badly, with Sri Lanka slipping to 24-2. A stand of 166 for the third wicket between Avishka Fernando (97) and Pavan Rathnayake then gave the visitors hope, and Rathnayake reached a century off 87 balls before putting on another big partnership with Dasun Shanaka.
Rathnayake was out for 130, but Shanaka kept the pressure on England with eight sixes in his 97 off 50 balls. Janith Liyanage then hit a 22-ball fifty, which left Sri Lanka needing eight runs from the final over.
England briefly turned things around when Josh Tongue bowled Dunith Wellalage and Eshan Malinga on successive deliveries. Liyanage, however, hit a six off the penultimate ball to seal a famous victory. England's second straight loss is a setback in their bid to reach the final on October 31.
The result recalls what happened in Guwahati on Wednesday, when Shubman Gill struck an unbeaten 223 off 133 balls in the second ODI at the ACA Stadium. India chased down 406 for the loss of two wickets, finishing in just 43.3 overs with 39 balls to spare. It was an eight-wicket win and India's highest successful chase in men's ODIs.
Sammy, who was at the ground in Guwahati as West Indies coach, reacted soon after Sri Lanka's win. He posted a short message that tied the two chases together, and his tone suggests that bowlers across the world are beginning to feel the same helplessness.
Sammy wrote on Twitter: "Wow… no score is safe. I know the feeling BC."
What is interesting in was the two letters at the end of the tweet which was interpreted by many Indians as an expletive that expresses extreme frustration.
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Fans were quick to respond, and the first reaction agreed with Sammy while pointing to the kind of pitches being used.
@CommonManFiles wrote: "Yes maan. BC no score is safe on these roads."
Another supporter turned the thought into a tribute to the Sri Lankan side.
@hrshmdhsnk1 wrote: "No score is safe against Sri Lanka."
The official Sri Lanka Cricket account celebrated the result and stressed its place in the team's history.
@OfficialSLC wrote: "WE HAVE DONE THE UNTHINKABLE! 430 RUNS CHASED DOWN! We script history by pulling off our highest-ever successful run chase—the second-highest in ODI history! What a day to be a Sri Lankan cricket fan!"
A second account posted a short celebration of the winning moment, which came from Liyanage's six.
@SriLankaTweet wrote: "Sri Lanka's Winning Moment in Rawalpindi. WHAT. A. CHASE. Janith Liyanage seals a record-breaking chase with a towering six. Sri Lanka chase 430 to beat England by 2 wickets in an unbelievable ODI thriller! WHAT A FINISH! WHAT A WIN!"
Two chases of more than 400 in a matter of days should make everyone in the game stop and think. A total that once looked impossible to catch now feels like a target, and Sammy's message suggests that bowlers have started to feel the same way.
Part of the reason is the pitches, since flat surfaces and short boundaries leave little for a bowler to use, as the fan who mentioned "these roads" pointed out.
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With the 2027 World Cup approaching, a few seaming pitches could keep the format interesting. For now, fans are enjoying the runs, but even they might want a bit more of a fight.
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