Pakistan vs England Today: Complete Match Guide for the 2026 ODI Tri-Series in Lahore

Pakistan and England meet again today, Sunday 25 October 2026, in the fourth match of the Pakistan ODI Tri-Series 2026. The game is being played at Gaddafi Stadium in Lahore, and it starts at 1:00 pm Pakistan time. For Pakistan, this is a chance to take one more step towards the final. For England, it is almost a must-win game. That contrast alone makes this a match worth sitting down for, and this guide explains everything a fan needs before the first ball, during the innings break, and after the result: the series story so far, the points table, the players to watch, the pitch and weather in Lahore, the predicted teams, and, most importantly, where you can watch the match legally in your country.

The match at a glance

• Match: Pakistan vs England, 4th ODI, Pakistan ODI Tri-Series 2026
• Date: Sunday, 25 October 2026
• Venue: Gaddafi Stadium, Lahore
• Start time: 1:00 pm PKT, 8:00 am GMT, 1:30 pm IST
• Toss time: 12:30 pm PKT
• Format: One Day International, 50 overs a side
• Tournament: Pakistan, England and Sri Lanka, seven matches including the final
• Captains: Shaheen Shah Afridi for Pakistan, Harry Brook for England

The toss matters in Lahore in a day game that runs into the evening. The team that wins it has to decide whether the new ball will do enough in the first hour to justify bowling first, or whether a big total on a flat pitch is the safer route. Pakistan won the toss in the early part of the day and chose to bowl first, which tells you what the home side thinks about the conditions: they back their fast bowlers with the new ball, and they trust their batters to chase under lights if needed.

Why this match matters more than an ordinary league game

A tri-series can feel relaxed in the first week. By the fourth match, it no longer does. Pakistan have already won twice, Sri Lanka have won once, and England have lost twice. That means the points table is not just a list of numbers now; it is a road map to the final on 31 October, also in Lahore.

If Pakistan win today, they will be in a very strong position to reach the final, and they will do it with a game still to play. If England win, the table opens up again, Sri Lanka stay in the hunt, and the last two league matches become almost like semi-finals. England, in other words, are not just playing for pride. They are playing to stay alive in the tournament.

There is also a longer story here. All three teams have already qualified directly for the 2027 ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup, which will be co-hosted by South Africa, Zimbabwe and Namibia. This tri-series is therefore not about qualification. It is about preparation, and preparation in ODI cricket is rarely abstract. Teams want to know who can handle pressure in the middle overs, who can finish an innings, who can bowl at the death when 300 is already on the board, and who can be trusted in a chase. Those questions are answered in games exactly like this one, against good opposition, in front of a home crowd, with the points table tightening.

The series so far: three matches, three very different stories

18 October: Pakistan beat Sri Lanka by 37 runs in Rawalpindi

Pakistan opened the series with a solid, professional win. They posted 305, and then held Sri Lanka to 268 in 48.1 overs. It was not a perfect performance, but it was the kind of win that settles a dressing room. The batters gave the bowlers something to defend, and the bowlers did not let the game drift in the middle overs.

20 October: Pakistan beat England by 87 runs in Rawalpindi

This was Pakistan’s most complete performance of the series so far, and it is the result England will remember most clearly today. Pakistan made 302 for 9, with Hasan Nawaz scoring 79 from 74 balls, Arafat Minhas contributing 59, and Faheem Ashraf adding a quick 39 from 26 balls. In reply, England were bowled out for 215 in 38.4 overs. Minhas then took six wickets for 40 runs, a spell that changed the game and gave Pakistan a comfortable win.

For England, that defeat was a warning. Their batting could not build partnerships against disciplined bowling, and their bowlers could not contain Pakistan in the last ten overs. A team can lose a game in many ways. Losing by 87 runs after conceding more than 300 is a clear message that several parts of the game need fixing at once.

22 October: Sri Lanka beat England by 2 wickets in Rawalpindi

If the second match showed England’s problems, the third showed their potential, and their frustration, in the same game. England scored 429 for 4, with Harry Brook scoring a remarkable 200, and Joe Root and Will Jacks also making important contributions. In most ODI games, 429 wins the match before the second innings even starts.

Sri Lanka chased it down. They reached 430 for 8 with one ball to spare, completing the second-highest successful run chase in ODI history. That result did two things at once. It gave Sri Lanka belief and two points, and it left England with a defeat that must have hurt far more than a normal loss, because they had done the hardest part — they had scored enough runs — and still lost.

Put those three matches together and you get the shape of today. Pakistan are confident and settled. England are talented but under pressure, and they have already shown they can score heavily and still lose. Sri Lanka, watching from the sidelines today, will be hoping for an England win that keeps the table open.

Points table before today’s match

• Pakistan: Played 2, Won 2, Lost 0, Points 4, Net run rate +1.240
• Sri Lanka: Played 2, Won 1, Lost 1, Points 2, Net run rate -0.348
• England: Played 2, Won 0, Lost 2, Points 0, Net run rate -0.892

The top two teams after the league stage will play the final on 31 October in Lahore. Net run rate matters only if teams finish level on points, but England’s negative net run rate is another reason they cannot afford to lose narrowly and hope for help later. They need a clear win, and they need it today.

Full tri-series schedule

The series started in Rawalpindi and moves to Lahore for the second half. The full schedule is:

• 18 October: Pakistan vs Sri Lanka, Rawalpindi
• 20 October: Pakistan vs England, Rawalpindi
• 22 October: Sri Lanka vs England, Rawalpindi
• 25 October: Pakistan vs England, Lahore
• 27 October: Pakistan vs Sri Lanka, Lahore
• 29 October: Sri Lanka vs England, Lahore
• 31 October: Final, Lahore

If you are following only today’s game, the two matches after it still matter. A Pakistan win today does not end the tournament, and an England win today does not guarantee them a final place. Both teams will still have one more league game, and Sri Lanka will still have a say.

Pitch and weather in Lahore: what to expect

Gaddafi Stadium is known as a batting-friendly ground, and the evidence from this series points the same way. Rawalpindi produced scores of 305, 302 and 429 in the first three games, and Lahore’s flat pitch is likely to reward batters who play straight and run hard between the wickets. The average first-innings score quoted for the ground in recent previews is around 255, but that number feels low compared with what we have actually seen in this series. A team batting first today should be thinking in terms of 300 or more, not 260.

That does not mean bowlers have nothing to work with. The new ball can move in the first few overs, especially if there is a little cloud cover or moisture in the air in the early afternoon. Fast bowlers who hit the seam and bowl a full length will get their chance. Later in the innings, reverse swing can become a factor with the older ball, and spinners will enjoy Lahore’s dry surface in the middle overs, when batters are trying to build a partnership rather than hit every ball.

The weather forecast for Lahore on Sunday is clear and sunny, with a maximum temperature around 29 degrees Celsius and humidity around one third. There is no rain expected, and a light breeze should make the evening comfortable for players and for fans in the stands. In simple terms: no weather interruption is expected, and this should be a full 100-over game.

Players to watch

Pakistan: Shaheen Shah Afridi, Babar Azam and Arafat Minhas

Shaheen Shah Afridi leads Pakistan, and his first spell will set the tone. If he swings the new ball and takes an early wicket, England’s top order will feel the pressure immediately. Babar Azam remains the anchor of Pakistan’s batting. He does not need to score quickly in the first ten overs; his job is to stay in, build partnerships, and allow the hitters around him to play freely later. Arafat Minhas is the player whose stock has risen fastest in this series. His 59 with the bat and six wickets against England on 20 October showed he can change a game in both disciplines, and England will have a plan for him today.

Fakhar Zaman and Saim Ayub at the top give Pakistan aggression from the start, while Salman Ali Agha, Hasan Nawaz and Faheem Ashraf give the middle order depth and power. Naseem Shah and Haris Rauf support Shaheen with pace, and Shadab Khan’s experience in the middle overs remains important.

England: Harry Brook, Joe Root and Adil Rashid

Harry Brook is England’s captain and, after his 200 against Sri Lanka, their most dangerous batter in this series. He plays with freedom, but his innings on 22 October also showed maturity: he did not just hit boundaries, he built an innings that gave England a total they should have defended. Joe Root is the calm head in the middle order. When England lose early wickets, Root’s ability to rotate the strike and rebuild is what keeps them in the game. Ben Duckett, Tom Banton, Will Jacks and Sam Curran give England batting depth, and Curran’s left-arm bowling and lower-order hitting make him a key all-round option.

With the ball, Adil Rashid’s leg-spin in the middle overs will be crucial. If Rashid can take wickets when Pakistan are trying to accelerate, England can slow the scoring and force mistakes. Gus Atkinson and Josh Tongue offer pace, and Liam Dawson’s control gives Brook another option when the ball stops swinging.

The key battles

• Shaheen Shah Afridi vs Ben Duckett and Tom Banton: the new ball against England’s openers. If Pakistan strike early, the middle order will be under pressure from the start.
• Arafat Minhas vs Harry Brook: Minhas took six wickets against England in the last meeting. Brook is in outstanding form. Whoever wins this battle will shape the middle overs.
• Adil Rashid vs Babar Azam and Salman Ali Agha: Rashid needs wickets, Pakistan’s middle order needs to play him without losing momentum.
• Death overs: Pakistan scored quickly at the end on 20 October, and England conceded 430 against Sri Lanka. The last ten overs, with both bat and ball, could decide today’s game.

Predicted playing XIs

These are predicted teams based on the squads and recent matches, not the confirmed toss-time teams. Final XIs can change with late fitness checks and pitch readings.

Pakistan predicted XI: Fakhar Zaman, Saim Ayub, Babar Azam, Saad Baig (wicketkeeper), Salman Ali Agha, Hasan Nawaz, Arafat Minhas, Faheem Ashraf, Shaheen Shah Afridi (captain), Naseem Shah, Haris Rauf.

England predicted XI: Ben Duckett, Tom Banton, Joe Root, Harry Brook (captain), Jordan Cox (wicketkeeper), Sam Curran, Will Jacks, Jamie Overton, Liam Dawson, Gus Atkinson, Josh Tongue.

Pakistan squad: Shaheen Shah Afridi (captain), Abrar Ahmed, Salman Ali Agha, Arafat Minhas, Babar Azam, Faheem Ashraf, Fakhar Zaman, Muhammad Ghazi Ghori (wicketkeeper), Haris Rauf, Hasan Nawaz, Naseem Shah, Razaullah, Saad Baig (wicketkeeper), Saim Ayub, Shadab Khan, Sufiyan Moqim.

England squad: Harry Brook (captain), 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, Josh Tongue.

Head-to-head record

Pakistan and England have a long ODI history. In 93 ODIs, England have won 57, Pakistan have won 33, and three matches have had no result. That history favours England overall, but recent form in this series favours Pakistan. History tells you how good these teams have been over decades. Today’s game will tell you who is better right now, in Lahore, in these conditions, with these squads.

How to watch Pakistan vs England live today — official options only

This is the part most fans search for first, so here it is clearly, country by country, using only official broadcasters and streaming services. Please use these official options. Unofficial streaming sites are unreliable, often carry malware and pop-ups, and do not support the broadcasters who pay to bring cricket to fans. If a site asks you to download unknown software or promises a free stream that no broadcaster offers, do not trust it.

• Pakistan: Watch on television on PTV Sports. Stream live on Tapmad, Tamasha and PCB Live.
• United Kingdom: Watch on Sky Sports, and stream on Sky Go or NOW.
• India: There is no live television telecast in India for this match. Streaming is available on the Veto platform, which holds the rights for this tri-series.
• United States and Canada: Watch on Willow TV.
• Australia: Watch on Fox Sports, on television and digital.
• Sri Lanka: Watch on Dialog TV, PEO TV and Siyatha TV.
• Bangladesh: Watch on T Sports on television, and stream on Tapmad.
• South Africa, Caribbean and Europe: Stream on the PCB Live app.
• Middle East and North Africa: Check the Cricbuzz broadcast listing for your country.

If you are travelling, your usual streaming app may not work in another country because rights change by region. In that case, check the official broadcaster for the country you are actually in, rather than searching for a workaround. For live scores and ball-by-ball updates, the PCB’s official channels and reputable live-score services are the safest way to follow the game if you cannot watch video.

A practical tip for match day: open your broadcaster’s app a few minutes before 1:00 pm PKT, sign in in advance, and test your connection. ODI games do not pause for a login problem, and the first ten overs — when Shaheen is bowling with the new ball — are often the most important part of the day.

What to watch for as the match unfolds

If you are watching live, do not just watch the score. Watch for these moments, because they usually decide a Lahore ODI:

1. The first ten overs: Does the new ball swing? Do Pakistan’s fast bowlers take a wicket, or do England’s openers survive and set a platform?
2. Overs 11 to 40: Who controls the middle? This is where Rashid and the spinners, and the partnership between Babar and the middle order, will matter most.
3. The last ten overs of the first innings: Can the batting side reach 300 or more, or do the bowlers pull it back with yorkers and slower balls?
4. The chase under lights: If Pakistan are chasing, watch how they pace the innings. A steady start, without losing three wickets early, gives them a real chance. If England are chasing, watch Brook and Root in the middle overs — they are the players most likely to build a winning partnership.
5. Fielding: In a high-scoring game, one dropped catch or one brilliant run-out can change the result. Lahore crowds notice fielding, and so do captains.

Frequently asked questions

When does Pakistan vs England start today?
At 1:00 pm Pakistan time on Sunday 25 October 2026, at Gaddafi Stadium in Lahore. The toss is at 12:30 pm Pakistan time.

Where is the match being played?
Gaddafi Stadium, Lahore. The first three matches were in Rawalpindi. The rest of the series, including the final, is in Lahore.

Who is leading the tri-series points table?
Pakistan lead with four points from two wins. Sri Lanka have two points, and England have no points yet.

When is the tri-series final?
Saturday 31 October 2026, at Gaddafi Stadium in Lahore, between the top two teams after the league stage.

Can I watch the match for free?
That depends on your country and your broadcaster. In Pakistan, PTV Sports is the television option, and Tapmad, Tamasha and PCB Live are the streaming options listed for this series. In the UK, Sky Sports and NOW are subscription services. Do not rely on unofficial free streams.

Is this match a World Cup qualifier?
No. Pakistan, England and Sri Lanka have already qualified directly for the 2027 World Cup. This series is preparation for that tournament and for the final places in this tri-series.

Final word

Pakistan come into today with momentum, a settled side, and the memory of an 87-run win over the same opponents five days ago. England come into today with talent, a captain in outstanding form, and the pressure of knowing that another defeat would leave them needing help from other results to reach the final. That combination — a confident home side against a desperate, dangerous away side — is exactly what makes a tri-series game worth watching.

So, find your official broadcaster, settle in before 1:00 pm Pakistan time, and watch the first ten overs closely. If Pakistan’s new-ball bowlers strike early, the home crowd will lift the team. If England’s openers survive and Brook gets going, we could be in for another high-scoring Lahore game. Either way, by the end of today we will know much more about who is most likely to play the final on 31 October.

Note: Match timings, squads and broadcast listings are based on the latest series information available on match day. Final playing XIs are confirmed at the toss, and live scores change ball by ball, so please check your official broadcaster for the latest live coverage.