Now Reading: Pakistan vs England Preview: Lahore Rematch Sets Up a Fierce ODI Showdown
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Pakistan vs England Preview: Lahore Rematch Sets Up a Fierce ODI Showdown
Round two is almost here. Pakistan beat England by 87 runs on 20 October, and the two sides meet again at Gaddafi Stadium in Lahore on Sunday, 25 October 2026. It is the 4th match of the Pakistan Triangular Series. The history favours England, but the form book is tighter than it looks.
Head-to-Head: England Hold the Long-Term Edge
England lead the all-time ODI rivalry by a distance. In 91 meetings since 1974, England have won 56 and Pakistan 32, with 3 tied, drawn or no-result games.
The recent picture is more mixed. Pakistan won the latest meeting, in Rawalpindi, but England took the three games before that in 2021.
| Date | Venue | Result |
|---|---|---|
| 20 Oct 2026 | Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium | Pakistan won by 87 runs |
| 13 Jul 2021 | Edgbaston | England won by 3 wickets (12 balls remaining) |
| 10 Jul 2021 | Lord’s | England won by 52 runs |
| 8 Jul 2021 | Sophia Gardens | England won by 9 wickets (169 balls remaining) |
| 3 Jun 2019 | Trent Bridge | Pakistan won by 14 runs |
Across the last 10 decisive meetings, England hold a 70% to 30% advantage. The two sides have met 6 times at this venue.
Recent Form: Momentum Is Split
Pakistan have won 7 of their last 10 completed ODIs, a 70% win rate. That run includes the 87-run win over England and a 37-run win over Sri Lanka on 18 October.
England have won 6 of their last 10, a 60% win rate. They arrive on the back of two defeats, though. They lost to Pakistan on 20 October, then to Sri Lanka by 2 wickets with just 1 ball remaining on 22 October.
Form Guide at a Glance
| Team | Last 10 (newest first) | Won | Lost |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pakistan | W W L W L W W W W L | 7 | 3 |
| England | L L W L W W W L W W | 6 | 4 |
England’s last 10 also show a 223-run win and an 89-run win over Sri Lanka in September. They are clearly capable of big margins, and they have also lost close games.
The Venue: Gaddafi Stadium
Lahore has hosted 73 completed ODIs. Teams batting first have won 39 and teams chasing have won 30, so there is a small lean towards setting a target.
The average first-innings total at Gaddafi Stadium is 259. That makes a total in that range a useful benchmark when the first innings unfolds.
| Gaddafi Stadium ODIs | Figure |
|---|---|
| Completed matches | 73 |
| Won batting first | 39 |
| Won chasing | 30 |
| Average first-innings total | 259 |
Players in Form
Squads for this match are not confirmed. The names below have been in form over the last 12 months, and none of them are certain starters.
Pakistan
Salman Agha has 545 ODI runs in 10 innings, with a best of 107. Babar Azam has 289 runs in 8 innings, including a 102. Mohammad Rizwan has 266 runs in 9 innings.
With the ball, Haris Rauf has 19 wickets in 8 matches. Shaheen Shah Afridi has 11 wickets in 10 matches, and Abrar Ahmed also has 11 wickets in just 5 matches.
England
Harry Brook has scored 742 runs in 14 innings, with a best of 202. Joe Root has 704 runs in 14 innings, and Ben Duckett has 476, including a 141.
Sam Curran has 13 wickets in 11 matches. Adil Rashid has 12 wickets in 10 matches, and Jamie Overton also has 12 in 11 matches.
In this fixture since 2021, Arafat Minhas leads the wicket-takers with 6, and Hasan Nawaz leads the run-scorers with 79. Tom Banton has 57 runs for England, and Sonny Baker has 3 wickets.
CricStats Prediction: Slight Edge to England
The CricStats data lean is computed from the numbers above, not a guess. It gives England a 57% chance and Pakistan 43%.
The lean rests mostly on the long head-to-head record and England’s 70% share of the last 10 decisive meetings. Pakistan’s stronger recent win rate and their 87-run result five days ago keep this far from one-sided.
The numbers suggest England are slight favourites, but they do not make it a certainty. One strong innings or one hot bowling spell could easily flip the script in Lahore.
