“I made a big mistake by getting out at that stage. I think, overall, we batted poorly.”

Janith Liyanage’s words after Sri Lanka’s 37-run defeat to Pakistan on October 18 were an admission of personal responsibility and a frank assessment of the team’s batting. Four days later, the Sri Lankan batter delivered a response that could hardly have been more emphatic, smashing an unbeaten 61 off 27 balls before hitting the winning six to seal a historic victory over England in Rawalpindi.

With England having piled up 429 for four, Sri Lanka needed 430 to win. After the early loss of two wickets, Avishka Fernando and Pavan Rathnayake rebuilt the innings, with Rathnayake scoring a magnificent 130 and Fernando falling just three runs short of a century. Dasun Shanaka then injected further momentum with a blistering 97 off 50 balls.

But it was Liyanage who delivered the decisive finish.

Coming in during the closing stages of the chase, he struck seven fours and three sixes at a strike rate of 225.93, keeping Sri Lanka in the hunt as the pressure mounted. With eight runs required from the final over, England briefly threatened to snatch victory as Josh Tongue claimed two wickets in consecutive deliveries. Liyanage, however, held his nerve and launched the fifth ball for six to complete Sri Lanka’s remarkable two-wicket win with one ball to spare.

His innings was not the biggest of the chase, nor was he named Player of the Match — that honour went to Rathnayake for his outstanding century. Yet Liyanage’s contribution stood out for its timing and impact, arriving when the match was on the line and finishing it with a shot that will be remembered as one of the defining moments of the game.

Sri Lanka’s victory was a collective effort, built on Pavan Rathnayake’s century, Avishka Fernando’s 97 and Dasun Shanaka’s explosive knock. But for Liyanage, the performance carried an additional significance: after publicly acknowledging his mistake in the previous match, he stepped up when his team needed him most.

If there was one player whose response to adversity deserved special recognition, Liyanage made a compelling case for that distinction in Rawalpindi. (Newswire)

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