Familiar foes get serious in ODI World Cup build-up

Big picture: World Cup planning gets serious

If Pakistan versus England feels like a familiar match-up, that's because it is. Pakistan's Test tour of England in August and September ended in a 3-0 whitewash, with off-field controversies far outweighing on-field positives. They've picked up some white-ball form since, with a T20I series win as well as victory in the tri-series opener against Sri Lanka (whom England also beat in five white-ball games out of six last month).

For England, this is their fifth trip to Pakistan since 2022 (two Test tours, one for T20Is and the Champions Trophy). After a 17-year interregnum, Harry Brook and Co. have been regular visitors - and not without success, even if the 2025 Champions Trophy was an unhappy start to Brendon McCullum's tenure in charge of the white-ball side and led to Jos Buttler giving up the captaincy.

With less than a year until the 2027 ODI World Cup, the focus on the format has sharpened. Pakistan flunked the Champions Trophy, too, but have shown improved form under Shaheen Afridi's captaincy. They have requested pitches with pace for this tri-series, in the words of Afridi, "so our fast bowlers and batters are ready for the conditions they are expected to come across in South Africa." Nine wickets were duly shared among the four quicks as they opened with a solid win.

England arrive in buoyant mood, having beaten Sri Lanka 2-1 at home to make it three series wins in a row, amid signs that they are finally progressing in ODIs. It was this time last year that they were shot out 3-0 on seaming pitches in New Zealand and Brook was fending off bouncers of a different kind; it set the tone for a disastrous Ashes, but Brook has steadily mended his reputation since, while taking charge of an increasingly successful white-ball unit.

"I've learnt a lot as a captain, I've learnt a lot as a person. I know it wasn't an ideal situation to put myself in, but I feel like as a captain and a leader I've learnt a lot," he told the Press Association ahead of Tuesday's game in Rawalpindi, adding that he wants to be "the man England fans and the team rely on". If he can lead England to a first one-day success in Pakistan since 1987-88 (the tour which featured Mike Gatting vs Shakoor Rana) it will only bolster his status further.

Form guide

Pakistan: WWLWL (Last five completed matches, most-recent first)
England: WLWWW

In the spotlight: Salman Agha and Jordan Cox

Pakistan cricket can be a rollercoaster for all involved, but few have experienced the ups and downs of Salman Agha in recent months. Having deputised as Test captain against England in the first Test at Headingley in August, he was dropped for the second and then sent home before the third (after which he scored a domestic triple-hundred in the President's Trophy). Further ignominy followed when he was stripped of the T20I captaincy and omitted from the squad to play Sri Lanka - but he responded eloquently back in the side for his favourite format, hitting an 82-ball hundred to lay the platform for Sunday's victory in Rawalpindi.

Jordan Cox has had a busy time of it recently, too, although mostly he has been on the up with England. Having impressed in the Test series against Pakistan batting at No. 3, he found himself parachuted into the ODI side for the final game against Sri Lanka, after Buttler suffered a hamstring injury while batting in Leeds. With Buttler absent for this tour and the trip to Australia that follows, Cox has the chance to further burnish his credentials behind the stumps and cement his position as the next batter off the rank with the World Cup coming down the track.

Team news: Rashid and Curran back for England

Pakistan gave Saad Baig a surprise debut behind the stumps in the tri-series opener, although he shone more with the bat than the gloves. They seem likely to stick with a winning XI. Shadab Khan and Sofyan Moqim have been suffering from illness but remain with the squad.

Pakistan: (possible) 1 Fakhar Zaman, 2 Saim Ayub, 3 Babar Azam, 4 Saad Baig (wk), 5 Salman Agha, 6 Hasan Nawaz, 7 Arafat Minhas, 8 Faheem Ashraf, 9 Shaheen Afridi (capt), 10 Haris Rauf, 11 Naseem Shah

Adil Rashid is fit after missing the home ODI series against Sri Lanka last month, while Sam Curran also returns after a groin problem that has kept him off the field since August. Jofra Archer has been rested for this tour but England could stick with a predominantly pace attack if conditions dictate. Liam Dawson and Mason Crane, uncapped in ODIs and almost nine years on from his last England outing, offer further spin options.

England: (possible) 1 Tom Banton, 2 Ben Duckett, 3 Joe Root, 4 Harry Brook (capt), 5 Jordan Cox (wk), 6 Will Jacks, 7 Sam Curran/Jamie Overton, 8 Gus Atkinson, 9 Adil Rashid, 10 Josh Tongue, 11 Sonny Baker

Pitch and conditions: More fast scoring in prospect

The decks in Pindi are expected to be on the quick side, as demonstrated by the first match where Sri Lanka were well placed in pursuit of 306, only for a lower-order collapse to leave them short. With the likelihood of dew coming into effect during the evening for another day-night match, both teams may be keen to chase

Stats and trivia

Quotes

"In the last six to eight months we're certainly trending in the right direction as a squad. I think we're really building towards the make-up of the side that we want."
Harry Brook