Sri Lanka vs England ODI Tri-Series 2026 — Date, Time, Head-to-Head Stakes and Full Schedule
Sri Lanka take on England in the third match of the Pakistan ODI Tri-Series 2026 on Thursday, October 22, at the Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium — a game both sides must win after opening defeats against hosts Pakistan.
Match details
The day-night fixture starts at 1:00 PM Pakistan Standard Time (PKT). Both teams have played one match each and lost it: Sri Lanka fell to Pakistan by 37 runs in the series opener on October 18, while England were beaten by 87 runs on October 20. Chasing 303, England were rolled for 215 in 38.4 overs after all-rounder Arafat Minhas followed his 59 with a career-best 6 for 40 to be named Player of the Match. With each side playing four round-robin games before the top two advance to the final in Lahore on October 31, another loss would leave either side with almost no margin for error.
Team news and squads
England are touring Pakistan under captain Harry Brook; their squad mixes senior names — Joe Root, Ben Duckett, Sam Curran, Adil Rashid and Will Jacks — with newer faces, while leg-spinner Mason Crane has earned a recall after a nine-year absence, saying he worked on consistency and variations to force his way back. Jos Buttler is out with a hamstring injury, Jordan Cox keeping wicket in his place, and Jofra Archer also misses the tour. England’s top order showed promise against Pakistan — Tom Banton (57), Ben Duckett (45) and Joe Root (33) — but a middle-order collapse and three dropped catches cost them. Sri Lanka are led by Kusal Mendis, with Kamil Mishara (59 in the opener) heading their batting.
What to watch
Rawalpindi has been a batting-friendly ODI venue with true bounce, though the new ball can move under the afternoon sun; spinners may get grip as the surface dries, and dew under lights could make chasing easier — toss-winning captains may again prefer to bowl first, as Sri Lanka did in the opener. England’s young-look squad will also be adapting to Pakistani conditions under a new-look ODI setup.
Full remaining schedule
After October 22, the series continues: October 25 Pakistan vs England (Lahore), October 27 Pakistan vs Sri Lanka (Lahore), October 29 Sri Lanka vs England (Lahore), and the final on October 31 at Gaddafi Stadium, Lahore. The tournament is part of the build-up to the 2027 ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup, so every game carries selection weight.
Sources: Sportradar fixture data, cricketdaily.net, ICC, Geo Super