England breaks SL’s record for highest score in ODI

England smashed a world record-breaking 444-3 against Pakistan in their third one-day international on Tuesday, after opening batsman Alex Hales hit England’s highest individual ODI score with 171.

That surpassed the previous record of 443 for nine by Sri Lanka against the Netherlands at Amstelveen in 2006.

It was also the highest ODI total in a match between two Test nations, topping South Africa’s 439 for two against the West Indies at Johannesburg last year.

Alex Hales, on his Nottinghamshire home ground, made an England ODI record 171 on Tuesday.

Hales struck 22 fours and four sixes in a 122-ball blitz at his home ground in Trent Bridge, beating Robin Smith’s 23-year-old England record of an unbeaten 167 against Australia.

Jos Buttler (90 not out) also punished Pakistan’s bowlers by notching England’s fastest ever ODI half century in just 22 balls. Captain Eoin Morgan, who won the toss and opted to bat, profited from a dropped catch to remain unbeaten on 57.

Together with Joe Root (85), who hit his third successive half century of the series, Hales added 248 runs off 190 balls as England bettered the previous world record of 443-9, set by Sri Lanka against the Netherlands in 2006, when Buttler hit a four off the last ball.