Pakistan have the win and the momentum. England have the favourites’ tag and a long list of absentees. When Harry Brook’s side walk out at Rawalpindi on Tuesday, it’s their first ODI series in Pakistan in 21 years, and Shaheen Afridi’s men arrive fresh from beating Sri Lanka by 37 runs.
This ENG vs PAK tri-series 2nd ODI preview from Cricket Insider UK covers team news, likely XIs, the pitch, the weather and our prediction, with Jos Buttler and Jofra Archer both missing.
(Source: Cricbuzz, Gulf News, Emirates 24|7)
England vs Pakistan 2nd ODI Match Details
Here’s everything you need for Tuesday’s fixture in one place. Our tri-series schedule and tickets guide has the rest of the calendar.
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Match | Pakistan vs England, 2nd Match |
| Series | Pakistan ODI Tri Series 2026 |
| Date | Tuesday, 20 October 2026 |
| Venue | Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium |
| Start time | 1:00 PM PKT, 9:00 AM BST, 1:30 PM IST |
(Source: PCB, Cricket World, Emirates 24|7)
How Pakistan and England Arrive in Rawalpindi
Pakistan have a game under their belt, and England’s form is strong. That’s the story going into the match.
- Match 1 result: Pakistan 305 beat Sri Lanka 268 by 37 runs on 18 October.
- Pakistan batting: Salman Ali Agha made 107 off 90 balls and won Player of the Match.
- Pakistan bowling: Shaheen Afridi took three wickets, while Naseem Shah, Haris Rauf and Faheem Ashraf took two each.
- England form: Brook’s side have won their last three bilateral ODI series, including a 2 to 1 win over Sri Lanka at The Oval.
(Source: Cricinfo, PCB, Cricket World, Emirates 24|7)
England vs Pakistan Predicted Playing XI for the 2nd ODI
Neither side has confirmed its team, so every lineup below is a projection. Our tri-series squads guide lists the full 15 for each side.
Team news first:
- Jos Buttler: Out injured, which opens the wicketkeeping gloves and a middle order spot.
- Jofra Archer: Rested and not part of the tri-series squad.
- Adil Rashid: Returns from a hand injury.
- Sam Curran: Returns from a groin injury.
(Source: PCB, Cricket World, Emirates 24|7)
England Predicted XI
This is CREX’s projected England side. Liam Dawson and Sonny Baker, who played in the last ODI, would make way for Curran and Josh Tongue.
| Player | Role |
|---|---|
| Tom Banton | Batter (opener) |
| Ben Duckett | Batter (opener) |
| Joe Root | Batter |
| Harry Brook | Captain, batter |
| Jordan Cox | Wicketkeeper, batter |
| Will Jacks | All-rounder |
| Sam Curran | All-rounder |
| Jamie Overton | All-rounder |
| Adil Rashid | Spin bowler |
| Gus Atkinson | Pace bowler |
| Josh Tongue | Pace bowler |
(Source: CREX, Cricinfo)
Pakistan Likely XI
Pakistan haven’t hinted at changes, so this is the side that won the opener. Abrar Ahmed, Shadab Khan and Sufiyan Moqim all missed out, and spin took 43% of wickets at this ground over the last 10 matches. Expect that selection question to linger.
| Player | Role |
|---|---|
| Saim Ayub | Batter |
| Fakhar Zaman | Batter |
| Babar Azam | Batter |
| Saad Baig | Wicketkeeper, batter |
| Hasan Nawaz | Batter |
| Salman Ali Agha | Batter |
| Arafat Minhas | Bowler |
| Faheem Ashraf | All-rounder |
| Shaheen Afridi | Captain, pace bowler |
| Haris Rauf | Pace bowler |
| Naseem Shah | Pace bowler |
(Source: PCB, Cricket World, CREX)
Key Players to Watch in England vs Pakistan
Form decides ODI contests, and a handful of names carry most of the weight here. Banton’s maiden hundred, which came in England’s Sri Lanka series, put him firmly in the frame.
England Players in Form
- Joe Root: 7,903 ODI runs at 50.66 and England’s record 20 ODI hundreds. Scored 18 in the last ODI.
- Harry Brook: Over 1,500 ODI runs. Made 329 runs at 65.8 against Sri Lanka, including 77 off 66 at The Oval.
- Tom Banton: 381 runs at 42.33 in 10 ODIs, with a maiden hundred of 126 off 105 in the last match.
- Jordan Cox: 76 off 52 in his fourth ODI, his first fifty.
- Liam Dawson: 3 for 26 in eight overs at The Oval.
(Source: ESPNcricinfo, Cricinfo, Newsbytes)
Pakistan Players to Watch
- Salman Ali Agha: 107 off 90 balls with 10 fours and a six in the opener.
- Babar Azam: 6,626 ODI runs at 53.44 with 20 hundreds (pre series figures). Scored 45 off 57 in the opener.
- Shaheen Afridi: Three wickets in the opener, and seven wickets in the home series against Australia.
- Haris Rauf: 2 for 48 in the opener, including the final wicket.
- Naseem Shah: 2 for 43 in 10 overs in the opener.
(Source: Cricinfo, Cricmints, PCB, Cricket World)
Rawalpindi Pitch Report for the England vs Pakistan ODI
Rawalpindi tends to be slow and lower scoring, and chasing teams have had the edge. The table shows the numbers behind that reputation.
| Rawalpindi ODI record | Figure |
|---|---|
| Matches played | 31 |
| Won chasing / batting first | 18 / 13 |
| Average first innings score | 209 |
| Average second innings score | 190 |
| Average run rate | 5.03 |
| Wickets by pace / spin (last 10 matches) | 57% / 43% |
Pakistan’s 305 on Sunday sat well above that 209 average, and batting first won the game. Spin could matter again, especially if the surface slows as the afternoon goes on.
(Source: CREX)
Rawalpindi Weather Forecast for England vs Pakistan
Dry conditions point to a full 100 overs a side, which means no interruptions and no Duckworth Lewis Stern maths to worry about.
- Forecast: Sunny, high of 29°C, low of 17°C.
- Rain chance: 0%.
- Humidity and wind: 41% and 8 km/h.
(Source: Google Weather)
England vs Pakistan ODI Head-to-Head Record
England lead the 92 ODIs played between 1974 and 2023, and the gap is wide. Pakistan will want to narrow it at home.
| Team | Matches | Won | Lost | No result | Win % |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| England | 92 | 57 | 32 | 3 | 64.04 |
| Pakistan | 92 | 32 | 57 | 3 | 35.95 |
(Source: ESPNcricinfo)
ENG vs PAK 2nd ODI Prediction
This is analysis, not a certainty. England should win. Banton, Brook and Cox scored heavily last time out, and Rashid and Dawson suit the middle and later overs on a surface that tends to grip.
Pakistan have the home surface and a confident top order, so it won’t be easy. But England’s depth in both departments gives them the edge.
(Source: Emirates 24|7, Cricinfo)
England Start Tri-Series Favourites at Rawalpindi but Pakistan Arrive With a Win and Momentum
England bring the stronger ODI record, better recent form and extra spin options as the Rawalpindi surface wears. Pakistan counter with a win already banked, Salman Ali Agha in form and a pace attack that can rip through a top order early.
The first ten overs may matter more than the toss. An England win would hand them control of the tri-series early, while a Pakistan victory would make the hosts clear favourites to reach the final. Our England’s full fixture list shows what follows.
