When was the last time England won an ODI series in the subcontinent? originally appeared on Cricket News. Add Cricket News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
KEY TAKEAWAYS:
- England last won an ODI series in the subcontinent in January 2026, when they beat Sri Lanka 2-1 in Sri Lanka.
- England have won 10 of 28 ODI series in India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka and Bangladesh, with eight of their 14 defeats coming in India.
- England face Pakistan in Rawalpindi on October 20 in their first ODI series in Pakistan since 2005.
England face Pakistan in Rawalpindi as the ODI tri-series moves on
England open their ODI tri-series campaign against Pakistan in Rawalpindi on October 20, their first ODI series in Pakistan since 2005. The tournament also features Sri Lanka and gives all three teams a block of 50-over cricket ahead of the 2027 World Cup.
The hosts have started better. Pakistan beat Sri Lanka by 37 runs in the opening match on Sunday, with Salman Ali Agha scoring 107 off 90 balls in a total of 305, so England will meet a side that already has a win on the board.
England have named Harry Brook as captain but will be without Jos Buttler, who is injured, and Jofra Archer, who has been rested. The tri-series is a double round-robin of six league games, and the top two teams will meet in the final at Gaddafi Stadium in Lahore on October 31.
MORE: 'Short ball again': Babar misses out on 50 as Sri Lanka exploit PAK star's weakness
When was the last time England won an ODI series in the subcontinent?
England's last ODI series win in the subcontinent came in Sri Lanka in January 2026, when Harry Brook's side won the three-match series 2-1. Sri Lanka won the first ODI by 19 runs, England levelled the series with a five-wicket win in the second, and England won the decider on January 27 in Colombo.
England won that decider by 53 runs after scoring 357 for 3. Brook hit a career-best 136 off 66 balls, Joe Root finished unbeaten on 111 off 108 balls, and Pavan Rathnayake's maiden ODI century of 121 was not enough for Sri Lanka.
Before that, England's most recent series win in the region was in Bangladesh in 2022/23, which they won 2-1. In Pakistan, the last series win came in 1987/88 by 3-0, and in India it came in 1984/85 by 4-1.
England's ODI record in the subcontinent and in a tri-series
England have played 28 bilateral ODI series in India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka and Bangladesh. They have won 10, lost 14 and drawn four, giving a series win rate of about 36 per cent.
England's ODI series record in the subcontinent
| Country | Series | Won | Lost | Drawn | Last series win |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| India | 11 | 1 | 8 | 2 | 1984/85 (4-1) |
| Pakistan | 5 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 1987/88 (3-0) |
| Sri Lanka | 8 | 3 | 4 | 1 | 2025/26 (2-1) |
| Bangladesh | 4 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 2022/23 (2-1) |
| Total | 28 | 10 | 14 | 4 | - |
India has been the hardest assignment, with England losing each of their last seven series there since 2005/06. On the other end, Bangladesh is the opposite, as England has won all four series. They also won Pakistan's home series in the UAE, 4-0 in 2011/12 and 3-1 in 2015/16, but those were played outside the subcontinent.
England have also taken part in 17 three-team ODI tri-series, and none of them was hosted in the subcontinent before the current one. They won four outright and shared one, which is an outright title rate of about 24 per cent.
MORE: 'Short ball again': Babar misses out on 50 as Sri Lanka exploit PAK star's weakness
England's record in the ODI tri-series
| Host | Tri-series | Won | Shared | Seasons won |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Australia | 8 | 2 | 0 | 1986/87, 2006/07 |
| England | 7 | 2 | 1 | 2000, 2003 (shared in 2005) |
| South Africa | 1 | 0 | 0 | - |
| United Arab Emirates | 1 | 0 | 0 | - |
| Total | 17 | 4 | 1 | - |
England's last tri-series title came in the 2006/07 Commonwealth Bank Series in Australia. Their most recent tri-series was the 2014/15 Carlton Mid event, which Australia won, so the Pakistan tournament is their first in more than 11 years.
Across all opponents, England have played 148 bilateral ODI series of two or more matches since 1972. They have won exactly half of them, losing 61 and drawing 13, and the table does not include single matches, tri-series, and global tournaments.
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England's all-time ODI series record
| Format | Played | Won | Lost | Drawn, shared or no result | Win % |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bilateral series (two or more matches) | 148 | 74 | 61 | 13 | 50.0% |
| Single-match fixtures | 16 | 10 | 4 | 2 | 62.5% |
| Tri-series (three teams) | 17 | 4 | 12 | 1 | 23.5% |
| World Cups | 13 | 1 | 12 | 0 | 7.7% |
| Champions Trophy and ICC KnockOut | 8 | 0 | 8 | 0 | 0.0% |
| Other tournaments (four or more teams) | 8 | 3 | 5 | 0 | 37.5% |
| Total | 210 | 92 | 102 | 16 | 43.8% |
Bilateral series are where England have been strongest, at exactly 50 per cent, while tournaments have been much harder. The 2019 World Cup is their only title in 13 editions, and they have not won a Champions Trophy or KnockOut in eight attempts.
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