England enter Pakistan ODI tri-series as favourites despite Buttler and Archer absences
England bring three consecutive ODI series wins to a tournament with Pakistan and Sri Lanka, while all three teams use the matches to prepare for the 2027 World Cup.
England enter the ODI tri-series in Pakistan as favourites despite the absence of Jos Buttler and Jofra Archer, according to the Associated Press. Pakistan and Sri Lanka open the tournament on October 18, with England joining a competition that gives all three teams matches ahead of the 2027 World Cup.
England have won three consecutive bilateral ODI series, AP reported: home and away contests against Sri Lanka and a 2-1 home win over India. Buttler is out with the hamstring injury he sustained during the second ODI against Sri Lanka, while fast bowler Archer has been rested after a busy home summer.
Captain Harry Brook said Pakistan would pose challenges England had not yet faced as an ODI side. He pointed to playing Pakistan and Sri Lanka in subcontinental conditions and said England's aim was to win against any opposition, wherever it plays. Reaching the October 31 final, he said, would test the squad in a pressure game.
Pakistan prepare for pace and bounce
Pakistan captain Shaheen Afridi said his team was united behind a goal of winning the 2027 World Cup, Dawn reported from a pre-series press conference in Rawalpindi. He called Babar Azam the backbone of the side and said the former captain was Pakistan's main player. Pakistan had won all its home ODI series this year before the tri-series, according to Dawn.
Afridi said Pakistan had deliberately sought pitches offering movement and bounce as preparation for conditions in South Africa and England. Those surfaces could affect selection: he indicated Pakistan might play three or four fast bowlers, with Saim Ayub's bowling also relevant to the balance of the side.
Pakistan beat Sri Lanka 2-1 in the preceding T20 series under Sahibzada Farhan, AP reported. Farhan is outside the ODI squad, while Afridi, Babar, Salman Ali Agha and Haris Rauf return for the tri-series after missing that T20 campaign.
Sri Lanka change their ODI squad
Sri Lanka opener Pathum Nissanka is out with a hamstring injury and has been replaced by Lahiru Udara, AP reported. Spinner Wanindu Hasaranga is also unavailable through injury. Dasun Shanaka has been recalled after an absence from ODI cricket dating to early 2024, while Avishka Fernando returns after scoring two centuries in recent domestic cricket.
All three teams have qualified directly for the 2027 World Cup in South Africa, Zimbabwe and Namibia, AP reported. After facing Sri Lanka in the opener, Pakistan are scheduled to play England on October 20 and 25, then Sri Lanka again on October 27. The top two teams will meet in the final in Lahore on October 31.
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Sources and context
- England favorite to win tri-series in Pakistan also featuring Sri LankaAssociated Press, republished by Yahoo Sports
- Shaheen Afridi wants unity to be Pakistan's identity under his leadershipDawn
AI-assisted article checked against the listed sources. NewsJaws did not conduct interviews or attend the reported events.