England's men's cricket team arrived in Islamabad on Friday, October 16, ahead of the ODI tri-series involving Pakistan and Sri Lanka. The visitors, led by Harry Brook, will begin their campaign against Pakistan in Rawalpindi on October 20.

The squad landed at Islamabad International Airport before travelling to its hotel, where Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) officials welcomed the players and support staff, according to reports published by Geo News and The Express Tribune.

The seven-match competition begins on October 18, when Pakistan face Sri Lanka at Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium. England will join the action two days later, with their opening match scheduled to start at 1:00 PM Pakistan Standard Time.

England reach Islamabad ahead of Pakistan clash

England's arrival comes two days before the tournament begins and four days before their first match.

Geo News and The Express Tribune confirmed on October 16 that the visiting players and support staff had reached Islamabad and travelled to their hotel.

The PCB had announced that England's touring contingent would comprise 33 people, including a 16-player ODI squad. That figure describes the planned visiting party; the arrival reports do not independently confirm how many members travelled on each flight.

According to the PCB's October 14 media advisory, England are scheduled to train at Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium from noon on Saturday, October 17.

The captains of the three teams are also due to attend a trophy unveiling and pre-series press conferences that day. Those events were still upcoming at the reporting cutoff on October 16.

When will Pakistan and England play their first ODI?

Pakistan and England will meet on Tuesday, October 20, at Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium. The PCB has listed a 1:00 PM PKT start.

Pakistan's first assignment comes earlier, against Sri Lanka on Sunday, October 18, at the same venue.

England then face Sri Lanka on October 22 before the tournament moves to Lahore for its remaining fixtures.

Pakistan and England are scheduled to meet a second time on October 25 at Gaddafi Stadium. The final will be played there on October 31.

The competition follows a double round-robin format: each team faces the other two sides twice, and the top two teams qualify for the final.

Readers can find the remaining dates and venues in Origin Pakistan's previously published Pakistan, England and Sri Lanka ODI tri-series schedule.

Harry Brook leads England's 16-player squad

England captain Harry Brook heads a squad featuring experienced batter Joe Root, opener Ben Duckett, leg-spinner Adil Rashid and all-rounders Sam Curran, Will Jacks, Liam Dawson and Jamie Overton.

Other members include Gus Atkinson, Sonny Baker, Tom Banton, Jordan Cox, Mason Crane, Henry Crocombe, James Coles and Josh Tongue.

The England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) announced the squad on October 1, selecting a combination of established players and those seeking further opportunities in one-day international cricket.

Mason Crane could make his ODI debut during the tri-series. Although he has not played an ODI for England, he has previously represented the country in one Test and two T20 internationals.

James Coles and Henry Crocombe are also seeking their first senior international appearances.

Why are Jos Buttler and Jofra Archer absent?

England will be without Jos Buttler and Jofra Archer, but the reasons for their absences are different.

Buttler sustained a hamstring injury during the second ODI against Sri Lanka in September and was not selected for the Pakistan trip.

Archer, meanwhile, has been rested to manage his workload following a busy international summer.

The ECB also confirmed that Adil Rashid has recovered from a hand injury, while Sam Curran returns after a groin injury.

Those changes give Brook an opportunity to work with both experienced players and squad members who have had limited or no previous ODI exposure.

No confirmed England playing XI for the October 20 match had been announced in the official squad information reviewed for this report.

Pakistan begin ODI preparations under Shaheen Afridi

Pakistan have already started preparations for the tournament under ODI captain Shaheen Shah Afridi.

The PCB confirmed that all 16 members of the Pakistan squad took part in a three-hour training session at Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium on Thursday, October 15.

Head coach Mike Hesson supervised the session alongside members of the coaching staff, with work focused on batting and bowling ahead of the 50-over competition.

Pakistan's squad includes Babar Azam, Fakhar Zaman, Saim Ayub and Salman Ali Agha, alongside bowlers Haris Rauf, Naseem Shah, Shadab Khan and Abrar Ahmed.

Pakistan enter the tri-series after winning their recent three-match T20I series against Sri Lanka 2–1. The hosts won the opening two matches before Sri Lanka took the final game by eight wickets.

Sahibzada Farhan captained Pakistan in that T20I series, while Shaheen Shah Afridi leads the side in the ODI tri-series.

World Cup preparations add importance to tri-series

Beyond the immediate results, the tournament provides all three teams with competitive ODI cricket ahead of the 2027 ICC Men's Cricket World Cup in South Africa, Zimbabwe and Namibia.

For Pakistan, the series offers home matches against two international opponents, with opportunities to assess batting combinations, bowling options and squad depth.

England can evaluate their side under conditions different from those at home, particularly with Buttler and Archer unavailable for this tournament.

Sri Lanka also have a chance to continue their preparations in Pakistan after completing the T20I series against the hosts.

What happens next?

England's next scheduled activity is training in Rawalpindi on October 17. Pakistan and Sri Lanka open the competition the following day, before England face Pakistan on October 20.

The seven-match tri-series continues in Rawalpindi and Lahore until October 31, when the top two teams are scheduled to contest the final at Gaddafi Stadium.

Sources