Sri Lanka vs England is the fixture which no side wants to be facing in this situation. For both the teams, defeat against host Pakistan leaves them searching for their first points in the Pakistan ODI tri-series 2026 and with just two sides progressing to the final, they face an uphill battle after suffering two defeats in a three-team tournament. As only the top two teams progress to the final at Lahore on October 31, this third fixture of the tournament looks like a do-or-die affair already.
The Pakistan ODI tri-series 2026 features the host nation, England and Sri Lanka who will play seven ODIs from October 18 to October 31, and this series serves as preparation for the ODI World Cup 2027. The two sides squaring off on Thursday are familiar with each other as they have met in England last month. This preview covers the squads, probable line-ups, players to watch, pitch condition, positions in the tournament and how to watch the match with all tables.
Sri Lanka vs England 3rd ODI: Match Details
Sri Lanka vs England 3rd ODI will be a day night match at the Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium on Thursday, October 22, 2026. This will be the final of the three matches at the Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium, and prior to that, there will not be any match at the Gaddafi Stadium in Lahore.
Match Snapshot
| Detail | Information |
| Match | 3rd ODI, Pakistan ODI Tri-Series 2026 |
| Date | Thursday, October 22, 2026 |
| Venue | Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium, Rawalpindi |
| Format | Day-night ODI (50 overs) |
| Toss | 12:30 PM PKT (1:00 PM IST) |
| Start | 1:00 PM PKT (1:30 PM IST, 9:00 AM BST) |
| Captains | Kusal Mendis (Sri Lanka), Harry Brook (England) |
| Umpires | Wayne Knights (New Zealand) and Asif Yaqoob (Pakistan) |
Pakistan ODI Tri-Series 2026: Format and Where Things Stand
Pakistan ODI tri-series 2026 is a simple round-robin tournament. All three teams play against each other twice in Rawalpindi and twice in Lahore, thus making it a six-match league, and the best two teams from the league play the final match at the Gaddafi Stadium on October 31. Both of Pakistan’s matches in the initial part of the league have been wins as Pakistan beat Sri Lanka by 37 runs on October 18 and England by 87 runs on October 20.
Standings Snapshot
| Team | Played | Won | Lost |
| Pakistan | 2 | 2 | 0 |
| Sri Lanka | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| England | 1 | 0 | 1 |
Points tables for tri-series can include bonus points or net run rate. Check the official standings for the exact table.
How Sri Lanka and England Lost Their Opening Games
The match between Sri Lanka and England is one where both teams have been contenders in the past but failed eventually. Sri Lanka was chasing 306 against Pakistan. Sri Lanka was well off at 210 for 4. Then Sri Lanka lost the game by 37 runs. The captain of Pakistan team, Shaheen Shah Afridi, scored a century for his team which was batting first in that match.
England was the bigger loser. England chased a total of around 300 runs. England was at 120 for 1 when they needed 183 runs from 190 balls and then they were dismissed for a total of 215 runs in 38.4 overs losing the match by 87 runs. Pakistan had scored 302 for 9 with Hasan Nawaz scoring 79 and taking six wickets for 40 runs for their opponents.
The Opening Round
| Match | Result | Highlights |
| Pakistan vs Sri Lanka (Oct 18) | Pakistan won by 37 runs | Salman Agha century; Sri Lanka slipped from 210 for 4 chasing 306 |
| Pakistan vs England (Oct 20) | Pakistan won by 87 runs | Pakistan 302/9; England all out for 215; Arafat Minhas 6/40; Banton 57 |
England Squad and Probable XI
England v Sri Lanka Playing XI updates for England revolve around stability. Since England have mentioned that they prefer players with clear roles, it is expected that they would name the same playing eleven that was defeated on Tuesday, and the only doubt that remains is whether Josh Tongue will be replaced by Sonny Baker. Harry Brook captains the squad of 16 players, while Jos Buttler and Jofra Archer are not in the squad owing to injuries.
England’s 16-Man Squad
| Role | Players |
| Captain | Harry Brook |
| Batters | Joe Root, Ben Duckett, Tom Banton |
| Wicketkeeper-batter | Jordan Cox |
| All-rounders | Sam Curran, Will Jacks, Jamie Overton, James Coles, Liam Dawson |
| Fast bowlers | Gus Atkinson, Josh Tongue, Sonny Baker, Henry Crocombe |
| Spinners | Adil Rashid, Mason Crane |
Sri Lanka Squad and Probable XI
The clash between Sri Lanka and England seems to be an encounter where Sri Lanka’s top batting order will play an important part. The captain of the 16-member team is Kusal Mendis, who performed extremely well in England and scored a century of 121 in one game which Sri Lanka won at Headingley. The tri-nation series will see a changed batting line-up owing to the absence of Pathum Nissanka from the squad.
Sri Lanka’s 16-Man Squad
| Role | Players |
| Captain / Wicketkeeper | Kusal Mendis |
| Batters | Avishka Fernando, Kamil Mishara, Lahiru Udara, Pavan Rathnayake, Sahan Arachchige, Janith Liyanage |
| All-rounders | Kamindu Mendis, Dasun Shanaka, Sachindu Colombage, Dunith Wellalage |
| Fast bowlers | Dushmantha Chameera, Asitha Fernando, Dilshan Madushanka, Eshan Malinga |
| Spinner | Maheesh Theekshana |
Probable Playing XIs
| Sri Lanka (probable) | England (probable) |
| Avishka Fernando | Tom Banton |
| Kamindu Mendis | Ben Duckett |
| Kusal Mendis (c, wk) | Joe Root |
| Pavan Rathnayake | Harry Brook (c) |
| Sahan Arachchige / Dunith Wellalage | Jordan Cox (wk) |
| Janith Liyanage | Sam Curran |
| Dasun Shanaka | Will Jacks |
| Sachindu Colombage | Jamie Overton |
| Eshan Malinga | Gus Atkinson |
| Asitha Fernando | Adil Rashid |
| Dilshan Madushanka | Josh Tongue (or Sonny Baker) |
These XIs are projections from pre-match reports. The confirmed lineups are announced at the toss.
Key Players to Watch
Brook and Root represent the very core of England’s batting lineup. Brook not only leads the team as the captain but also serves as the aggressive element in their middle order, whereas Root represents the glue that holds the team together and helps build an innings against the spinners on the pitch that usually turns a bit during the course of the game. The opening pair of Duckett and Banton provide England with their desired tempo, and Banton’s 57 in Pakistan’s game shows his good form as well.
Kusal Mendis stands out as the prominent player for Sri Lanka, being the captain and the wicketkeeper as well as one of the main batters in their top order. Kamindu Mendis and Avishka Fernando support him. Among the bowlers, Dilshan Madushanka, who has dismissed Duckett in England’s last series, and Eshan Malinga make up the pace attack, whereas Maheesh Theekshana and Dunith Wellalage are their spinners.
Key Players and Why They Matter
| Player | Team | Why They Matter |
| Harry Brook | England | Captain and middle-order aggressor |
| Joe Root | England | Anchor against spin |
| Tom Banton | England | Top-order tempo; scored 57 against Pakistan |
| Adil Rashid | England | Leg-spin control in the middle overs |
| Sonny Baker | England | Took 3 wickets against Pakistan |
| Kusal Mendis | Sri Lanka | Captain, wicketkeeper and in-form batter |
| Kamindu Mendis | Sri Lanka | Versatile all-rounder in the middle order |
| Avishka Fernando | Sri Lanka | Opener with the power to set the pace |
| Dilshan Madushanka | Sri Lanka | Left-arm new-ball threat |
| Maheesh Theekshana | Sri Lanka | Spin option in the middle overs |
Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium: Pitch and Conditions
The cricket stadium of Rawalpindi has provided great batting pitches, and both the matches played till now in the series show that. The total runs scored by Pakistan against Sri Lanka have been 305, while against England have been 302 out of 9. Despite a favorable situation at a point, the teams chasing failed to achieve that score. So, it looks like a pitch where 300 plus runs are possible, and there is nothing to worry about for the team that bats first.
Another change in the conditions comes in case of the day/night matches because the ball becomes slightly difficult to play at night. Have a look at the toss choice and pitch report on the match day.
Conditions Snapshot
| Factor | What to Expect |
| Batting | Good surface; totals around 300 in the first two matches |
| Pace | Some help early under lights |
| Spin | Can grip as the match goes on |
| Toss | Both opening matches were won by the side batting first |
Sri Lanka vs England Head-to-Head: The Recent Picture
England against Sri Lanka is a match with a recent record that is positive for England, but not without a catch. England won the 3 ODIs in September 2-1, winning two matches by 89 runs and 223 runs each side of the Sri Lankan victory in the 2nd ODI in Headingley. England also swept the 3-match T20I series 3-0. Such performance makes England enter the match full of confidence, but a single Sri Lankan win proves that it’s not always so easy.
Recent Meetings
| Series | Result |
| ODI series in England (September 2026) | England won 2-1 |
| 1st ODI | England won by 89 runs |
| 2nd ODI (Headingley) | Sri Lanka won, with Kusal Mendis making 121 |
| 3rd ODI (The Oval) | England won by 223 runs |
| T20I series in England | England won 3-0 |
Pakistan ODI Tri-Series 2026: Full Schedule
ODI tri-series schedule details are simple, with every match at 1:00 PM local time and a 1:30 PM IST start. The final on October 31 is at the Gaddafi Stadium in Lahore.
Fixtures and Results
| Match | Date | Venue | Result / Status |
| Pakistan vs Sri Lanka | October 18 | Rawalpindi | Pakistan won by 37 runs |
| Pakistan vs England | October 20 | Rawalpindi | Pakistan won by 87 runs |
| Sri Lanka vs England | October 22 | Rawalpindi | Today |
| Pakistan vs England | October 25 | Lahore | Upcoming |
| Pakistan vs Sri Lanka | October 27 | Lahore | Upcoming |
| Sri Lanka vs England | October 29 | Lahore | Upcoming |
| Final | October 31 | Lahore | Top two teams |
Where to Watch Sri Lanka vs England Live
Sri Lanka vs. England is being telecast in various places. For instance, the Sony Sports Network is said to be the TV station broadcasting the match in India. In the UK, the match will air live on Sky Sports and NOW Sports with the start time being set at 9:00 AM BST. Meanwhile, in Pakistan, it is reported that Tapmad will broadcast the game for free.
Broadcast Guide
| Region | Start Time | Where to Watch (as reported) |
| India | 1:30 PM IST | Sony Sports Network |
| Pakistan | 1:00 PM PKT | Tapmad (free streaming, as reported) |
| Sri Lanka | 1:30 PM local | Check local listings |
| United Kingdom | 9:00 AM BST | Sky Sports and NOW |
What Could Decide Sri Lanka vs England
Questions can define the outcome of the game between Sri Lanka and England. Will the lack of Nissanka affect Sri Lanka’s top order and provide a platform for Kusal Mendis? Are England able to build on their starts after the collapse against Pakistan? Will toss be an issue because the teams winning the first innings have won their games?
Key Battles
| Battle | Why It Matters |
| Madushanka and Malinga vs England’s top order | Early wickets could stall England’s tempo |
| Rashid vs Sri Lanka’s middle order | Control in the middle overs |
| Root and Brook vs Theekshana and Wellalage | Spin could decide the middle phase |
| Toss and first innings total | Chasing sides fell short in both matches |
Frequently Asked Questions About Sri Lanka vs England in the Pakistan ODI Tri-Series
1. When is Sri Lanka vs England in the tri-series?
It is on Thursday, October 22, 2026, at the Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium, with the toss at 12:30 PM PKT and the start at 1:00 PM PKT (1:30 PM IST).
2. Who are the captains of Sri Lanka and England?
Kusal Mendis captains Sri Lanka and Harry Brook captains England.
3. How did Sri Lanka and England do in their opening matches?
Both lost to Pakistan. Sri Lanka lost by 37 runs on October 18, and England lost by 87 runs on October 20.
4. How does the tri-series final work?
Each team plays the other two twice, and the top two teams after the six league matches play the final at the Gaddafi Stadium in Lahore on October 31.
5. Who is England’s squad for the tri-series?
Harry Brook (c), Gus Atkinson, Sonny Baker, Tom Banton, James Coles, Jordan Cox, Mason Crane, Henry Crocombe, Sam Curran, Liam Dawson, Ben Duckett, Will Jacks, Jamie Overton, Adil Rashid, Joe Root and Josh Tongue.
6. Who is in Sri Lanka’s squad?
Kusal Mendis (c), Sahan Arachchige, Dushmantha Chameera, Sachindu Colombage, Avishka Fernando, Asitha Fernando, Janith Liyanage, Dilshan Madushanka, Eshan Malinga, Kamindu Mendis, Kamil Mishara, Lahiru Udara, Pavan Rathnayake, Dasun Shanaka, Maheesh Theekshana and Dunith Wellalage.
7. Is Pathum Nissanka playing for Sri Lanka?
No. Nissanka was ruled out of the tri-series and Lahiru Udara was named as his replacement.
8. Why is Jos Buttler not in England’s squad?
Buttler suffered a hamstring injury in September and was left out of the tri-series squad.
9. What is the head-to-head between Sri Lanka and England recently?
England won the September ODI series 2-1, with Sri Lanka winning the second ODI at Headingley, and also won the T20I series 3-0.
10. What is the pitch like at Rawalpindi?
It has produced good batting conditions, with totals around 300 in the first two matches, and spin can matter later in the game.
11. Where can I watch Sri Lanka vs England in India?
The match is listed on the Sony Sports Network in India. Check your local listings for streaming options.
12. Why does this tri-series matter?
It’s part of the preparation for the ODI World Cup 2027 for all three teams, and it gives them match practice in subcontinent conditions.
