Pakistan vs. Sri Lanka is the final of the 2026-27 Pakistan ODI Tri-Series, played today, Saturday, October 31, 2026, at Gaddafi Stadium in Lahore. It is a day/night match that started at 1:00 PM PKT, and the final is a rematch of two earlier tri-series games between the same teams. Pakistan finished top of the table, but Sri Lanka beat them by 8 wickets four days ago, bowling Pakistan out for just 110. Pakistan won the toss and chose to bowl first, and Sri Lanka scored 325/8 in their 50 overs. Pakistan are now chasing 326 to win the trophy. Fakhar Zaman has hit his 12th ODI century in this chase, which makes him only the second Pakistani batter after Saeed Anwar to score two hundreds in an ODI final.
Live update: At the last check, Pakistan were 224/4 after 35 overs, chasing 326. The result may already be decided, so check the live score.
Pakistan ODI Tri-Series Final Match Details
Event: Pakistan ODI Tri-Series 2026-27 (Pakistan, Sri Lanka, England)
Match: Pakistan vs. Sri Lanka (PAK vs SL)
Stage: Final (Day/Night)
Date: Saturday, October 31, 2026
Time: 1:00 PM PKT / 1:30 PM IST / 8:00 AM GMT
Venue: Gaddafi Stadium, Lahore, Pakistan
Toss: Pakistan won and elected to field
Umpires: Wayne Knights (New Zealand) and Ahsan Raza (Pakistan)
Captains: Shaheen Shah Afridi (Pakistan), Kusal Mendis (Sri Lanka)
Live Streaming & Live Score Info
I could not confirm the official broadcaster list for each country, so please check your local sports channel or app. Ball-by-ball live scores and commentary are available on ESPNcricinfo, Cricbuzz, Sofascore and Outlook India’s live blog. If you are traveling outside your home country, use a VPN (e.g. NordVPN or Norton VPN) to connect to your home country’s server and access your local broadcaster.
Why This Match Matters
The trophy is on the line: This is the final of the tri-series, so the winner takes the title. Pakistan finished first in the table with 6 points and Sri Lanka second with 4 points. England missed out.
Revenge or repeat: Pakistan won the first match by 37 runs (305 vs 268). Sri Lanka won the second by 8 wickets, with 191 balls to spare, after Dilshan Madushanka took 5/34 and bowled Pakistan out for 110. The final decides who is better in the series.
Sri Lanka’s chasing power: Sri Lanka chased 430 against England in this series and then scored 331 chasing 387. Their batting is the most dangerous in the tournament, and no one wants to defend a total against them.
Pakistan’s big-chase test: Pakistan have the bowling, but their batting has been inconsistent, with Fakhar Zaman’s form questioned before this match. His century in the chase is one way to answer his critics.
A strong head-to-head record for Pakistan: Pakistan lead Sri Lanka 97-59 across 161 ODIs, but recent results in Lahore have favoured Sri Lanka, who have won six of their eight ODIs there.
Pitch & Weather Update
Venue: Gaddafi Stadium, Lahore
Pitch: A high-scoring ground. The average first-innings total in ODIs here is 251 and the average second-innings total is 217. Sri Lanka’s 325/8 was well above that average, and Pakistan’s chase shows the pitch has stayed good for batting.
Conditions: It is a day/night match, so the chase is played under lights in the evening, which has helped Pakistan’s batters.
Tri-Series Form: Pakistan
Pakistan reached the final in first place with three wins in four matches.
- 1st match: Pakistan beat Sri Lanka by 37 runs (305 vs 268)
- 2nd match: Pakistan beat England by 87 runs
- 4th match: Pakistan beat England by 1 wicket (with 17 balls remaining)
- 5th match: Sri Lanka beat Pakistan by 8 wickets (Pakistan all out for 110, Madushanka 5/34)
Pakistan’s top run-scorer before the final was Salman Agha with 158 runs, and they entered the final with a net run rate of -0.114.
Tri-Series Form: Sri Lanka
Sri Lanka reached the final in second place with two wins and two defeats.
- 1st match: Lost to Pakistan by 37 runs
- 3rd match: Beat England by 2 wickets (chasing 430, with 1 ball remaining)
- 5th match: Beat Pakistan by 8 wickets
- 6th match: Lost to England by 55 runs (scored 331 chasing 387)
Pavan Rathnayake has 350 runs at an average of 116.67 in the series, with two hundreds against England and a 79 against Pakistan.
Head-to-Head Summary
| Metric | Statistic |
|---|---|
| Total ODIs Played | 161 |
| Pakistan Wins | 97 |
| Sri Lanka Wins | 59 |
| Sri Lanka’s ODI record in Lahore | Won 6 of 8 |
| Tri-Series Match 1 | Pakistan won by 37 runs |
| Tri-Series Match 5 | Sri Lanka won by 8 wickets |
Pakistan have a big lead overall, but the recent trend favours Sri Lanka in Lahore, so the final looked evenly balanced before the toss.
Playing XI
Pakistan: Fakhar Zaman, Maaz Sadaqat, Babar Azam, Saad Baig (wk), Salman Agha, Hasan Nawaz, Arafat Minhas, Faheem Ashraf, Shaheen Shah Afridi (c), Haris Rauf, Naseem Shah
Sri Lanka: Avishka Fernando, Kamindu Mendis, Kusal Mendis (c, wk), Pavan Rathnayake, Sahan Arachchige, Janith Liyanage, Dasun Shanaka, Maheesh Theekshana, Dunith Wellalage, Asitha Fernando, Dilshan Madushanka
Shadab Khan was out of the Pakistan side for the final.
Team Analysis: Pakistan
Strengths
- Finished first in the tri-series table
- Strong pace attack with Shaheen Afridi, Naseem Shah and Haris Rauf
- Fakhar Zaman is a proven big-match player, and his century in the chase shows it
- Won the toss and chose to chase, which suits their batting under lights
- Lead the overall ODI head-to-head against Sri Lanka
Weaknesses
- Batting collapsed for 110 in the last meeting
- Net run rate was negative, which shows how close their wins were
- Questions over form for some top-order batters
- Shadab Khan missing from the XI
Key Players
- Fakhar Zaman (Opening Batter): Scored his 12th ODI hundred in the final, and the chase depends on him and the batters after him.
- Babar Azam (Batter): Pakistan’s most experienced batter, vital in an ODI chase.
- Shaheen Shah Afridi (Captain, Fast Bowler): Leads the attack and is the main wicket-taker with the new ball.
- Salman Agha (All-rounder): Pakistan’s top run-scorer in the group stage with 158 runs.
- Haris Rauf and Naseem Shah (Fast Bowlers): Their pace and variations are needed in any match defending a total.
Team Analysis: Sri Lanka
Strengths
- Scored 325/8 in the final and had earlier chased 430 against England
- Pavan Rathnayake is in outstanding form with 350 runs at an average of 116.67
- Kamindu Mendis was 97 not out at the drinks break in the 32nd over, which gave the innings its backbone
- Dilshan Madushanka took 5/34 in the last meeting against Pakistan
- Won 6 of their 8 ODIs in Lahore
Weaknesses
- Lost to England by 55 runs, showing they can be beaten when the bowling is hit
- Their bowling was expensive in this series
- The innings slowed in the last overs, with wickets falling at the death
Key Players
- Kusal Mendis (Captain, Wicketkeeper): Leads the team and steadies the middle overs.
- Kamindu Mendis (All-rounder): Anchored the 325/8 innings with a big score.
- Pavan Rathnayake (Batter): The tournament’s most reliable batter.
- Dilshan Madushanka (Fast Bowler): Match-winner with 5/34 in the last meeting.
- Maheesh Theekshana and Dunith Wellalage (Spinners): Key in the middle overs of the defence.
Key Tactical Matchup
The key battle is Pakistan’s chase vs Sri Lanka’s death bowling and spin. With 325 on the board and the required rate near seven an over, Pakistan need one big partnership and a quick finish. Theekshana and Wellalage will try to slow things down in the middle overs, and Madushanka and Asitha Fernando must take wickets under pressure.
The second battle is Fakhar Zaman vs the Sri Lankan pace attack. His fast start and century changed the match, and Sri Lanka needed his wicket to get back into the game.
Prediction
Before the match, predictions were split. One preview picked Sri Lanka because of their batting, while another picked Pakistan, with Fakhar Zaman as the likely Player of the Match. I could not find reliable betting odds, so none are listed here. With Pakistan in a strong position in the chase, the match could end on either side of the late overs, so check the live score for the real result.
FAQs
When is Pakistan vs Sri Lanka?
Saturday, October 31, 2026, at 1:00 PM PKT (1:30 PM IST).
Where is the match being played?
Gaddafi Stadium, Lahore, Pakistan.
Which series is this?
The Pakistan ODI Tri-Series 2026-27 final, with Pakistan, Sri Lanka and England.
Who won the toss?
Pakistan won and elected to field.
What did Sri Lanka score?
Sri Lanka scored 325/8 in 50 overs, so Pakistan need 326 to win.
Who scored a century for Pakistan?
Fakhar Zaman, his 12th ODI hundred. He is the second Pakistani after Saeed Anwar to score two hundreds in an ODI final.
Who captains each team?
Shaheen Shah Afridi captains Pakistan and Kusal Mendis captains Sri Lanka.
What is the head-to-head record?
Pakistan lead 97-59 across 161 ODIs.
What happened in the earlier tri-series matches?
Pakistan won the first by 37 runs, and Sri Lanka won the second by 8 wickets after bowling Pakistan out for 110.