Dead-rubber blues for England as Sri Lanka tune up for final
England sit rock-bottom with three losses in a row, after traumatic setbacks in last two outings
Matt Roller
Published: Oct 28, 2026, 11:04 AM (1 hr ago)
Harry Brook has overseen three losses in a row in this series, twice from positions of utter dominance • Murtaza Ali/NurPhoto via Getty Images
Big picture: No jeopardy in final group game
England arrived in Pakistan this month hopeful that the dynamics of a tri-series would give them the chance to experience the pressure of knockout games ahead of next year's World Cup. Instead, Thursday's fixture against Sri Lanka will evoke unwelcome memories of the 2023 edition, when they finished the tournament with a series of dead-rubbers after an early exit.
That is what happens when you manage to come out on the wrong side of an unloseable game - and not just once, but twice in three days. No team in ODI history has ever failed to win from the situations that England found themselves in last week: they reduced Sri Lanka to 24 for 2 chasing 430 in Rawalpindi, and then had Pakistan 154 for 9 chasing 242 in Lahore. And yet, they sit bottom of the table with three defeats out of three.
Those results left Harry Brook and his team-mates hoping that Pakistan could do them a favour by beating Sri Lanka on Tuesday to set up a straight shoot-out for the last spot in Saturday's final. But with nothing to play for themselves, the tournament hosts collapsed to 110 all out against Dilshan Madushanka's left-arm seam, and a straightforward chase sent Sri Lanka through with a game to spare.
That dominant eight-wicket win should give Sri Lanka belief that they are on the right track ahead of next year's World Cup in southern Africa, not least with the injured Pathum Nissanka and Wanindu Hasaranga still to return. They are not a perfect side, and strong opposition will exploit their lack of a fifth frontline bowler, but they have clearly grown in confidence over the past fortnight.
As for England? It would be easy to write their two recent defeats off as freak occurrences, but they have developed an unwanted habit of losing close games under Brendon McCullum which dates back to his previous role as Test coach. They seemed finally to have made some progress in 50-over cricket after three consecutive series wins earlier this year, but have now won as many ODIs as they have lost (six each) in 2026.
There is some mitigation: they are without Jofra Archer (rested), Jacob Bethell (knee) and Jos Buttler (hamstring) in this series, and have played significantly better for long periods of games than their results in Pakistan would suggest. But they could use a consolation win to lift the mood ahead of their three-match series in Australia next month, which will provide them with another progress check.
Form guide
Sri Lanka: WWLLW (last five completed matches, most recent first)
England: LLLWL
England: LLLWL
In the spotlight: Kusal Mendis and Jordan Cox
Kusal Mendis's last two dismissals have been utterly bizarre. Against England, he was run out backing up via Gus Atkinson's fingertips before he had faced a ball; against Pakistan, he was bowled after hitting the ball into the crease, then onto his own stumps via the back of his bat. He will hope that his luck starts to turn on Thursday ahead of the final.
It was a breakout home summer for Jordan Cox, who earned a two-year central contract after impressing in his first four Tests and ably deputising for the injured Buttler in the ODI series decider against Sri Lanka at The Oval. But he has had a quiet tri-series to date: two dropped catches behind the stumps - one of them much tougher than the other - in England's opening defeat to Pakistan, and scores of 18 and 6 with the bat. He could use a score.
Team news: Room for experimentation
Mendis suggested that his side will consider making "a couple of changes" after securing their progress, with Dushmantha Chameera and spinners Maheesh Theekshana and Sachindu Colombage among those waiting in the wings.
Sri Lanka: (possible) 1 Kamindu Mendis, 2 Avishka Fernando, 3 Kusal Mendis (capt/wk), 4 Pavan Rathnayake, 5 Sahan Arachchige, 6 Janith Liyanage, 7 Dasun Shanaka, 8 Dunith Wellalage/Maheesh Theekshana, 9 Dushmantha Chameera, 10 Eshan Malinga/Asitha Fernando, 11 Dilshan Madushanka.
With nothing to play for, there is a case for England to rest their Test quicks - Josh Tongue, who has been struggling with a sore toe, and Gus Atkinson - and instead learn more about Sonny Baker and Henry Crocombe. The uncapped pair James Coles and Mason Crane are yet to feature in this series, and England will also weigh up a potential recall for Adil Rashid.
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/Liam Dawson, 8 Jamie Overton, 9 Adil Rashid, 10 Sonny Baker, 11 Henry Crocombe.
Pitch and conditions: Low scores in Lahore
231 for 9, 157 all out, 241 all out, 110 all out. Those are the scores that teams have managed batting first in the four men's ODIs at Gaddafi Stadium this year, though 300 was regularly breached at last year's Champions Trophy. Expect another warm afternoon, with temperatures forecast to hit 30 degrees and zero threat of rain.
Stats and trivia
- England have lost six ODIs in a row in Pakistan: three in this tri-series, and three in last year's Champions Trophy. Their most recent ODI win in Pakistan came in December 2005.
- Dasun Shanaka had reached 35 once in his last 22 ODI innings before he hit 97 off 50 balls against England last Thursday.
- Dunith Wellalage needs two wickets to reach 50 in ODIs, aged just 23.
- Joe Root would have hoped to play his 200th ODI in Saturday's final. Instead, he will reach that landmark on England's tour to Australia next month.
Quotes
"We have to play our normal game with our normal intensity, and practise the conditions before the final."
Kusal Mendis says his side won't take their foot off the gas.
Kusal Mendis says his side won't take their foot off the gas.
"It gives you a little bit of backing and just lets you know, 'I'm good enough to be here'."
Henry Crocombe tells the Press Association that he took confidence from making his debut on Sunday, even if he was expensive.
Henry Crocombe tells the Press Association that he took confidence from making his debut on Sunday, even if he was expensive.
Matt Roller is a senior correspondent at Cricinfo. @mroller98
