Rampant England maul hapless Pakistan to break Sri Lanka's record of highest team total in ODIs

English batsmen put on a scintillating batting display in the 3rd ODI against Pakistan to break Sri Lanka's 10-year-old record of highest team total by one run.

Electing to bat first at Trent Bridge, opener Alex Hales (171, 122b, 22x4, 4x6) went after the Pakistani bowlers right from the word 'go', notching up the highest individual score in ODIs by an English batsman (Robin Smith held the record for 23 years). The right-hander looked set for a double hundred but was Hasan Ali trapped him in front of the wicket.

England's world record 444-3, with @alexhales1's 171 the highest ever ODI score by an Englishman #highlights https://t.co/GhIfBquc2K

— England Cricket (@englandcricket) August 30, 2016

However, middle-order batsmen, Joe Root (85, 86b, 8x4), Jos Buttler (90 n o, 51b, 7x4, 7x6) and Eoin Morgan (57 n o, 27b, 3x4, 5x6) continued the good work to overhaul Sri Lanka's feat of 443 for nine, which they achieved against Netherlands at Amstelveen on July 4, 2006. Buttler's 22-ball fifty was another national record to be created on Tuesday.

Needing six runs off the last over to break Sri Lanka's record, Morgan and Buttler almost messed it up, managing just two runs off the first four balls bowled by Ali, but on the last delivery, Buttler made room and blasted a back of a length ball to the cover boundary to end the hosts' innings on 444 for three.

This capped off a brilliant power-hitting performance which has almost sealed the fate of the series in England's favour, who have already won the first two matches.