Adil Rashid’s exile cost England but they can right tactical wrongs in Australia | Taha Hashim

Adil Rashid’s omission from England’s final three matches of their tri-series with Pakistan and Sri Lanka raised questions, but there’s no cause for alarm just yet.

The campaign started flawlessly. When Gus Atkinson took a wicket with the first delivery of England’s tour, things seemed on track. They aimed for a fourth consecutive ODI series victory. Sri Lanka had been defeated both home and away this year; Pakistan struggled against the Dukes ball in the summer. Harry Brook’s team appeared destined for the final. However, they won’t be anywhere near the oddly named KFC Presents Bank Alfalah ODI Tri-Series trophy on Saturday.

Twice England found themselves in seemingly unbeatable positions, yet this captivating tri-series didn’t go their way. Against Sri Lanka, after posting 429, they stuck to their usual plan: smash a massive total and let scoreboard pressure do the work. Even as Pavan Rathnayake and Dasun Shanaka counterattacked, it seemed England would prevail if they could produce a quiet three-over spell, forcing the pair to settle for singles and twos while the required rate soared. But that moment never arrived, as Brook became the first player to lose an ODI despite scoring a double hundred.