Pakistan have an opportunity to climb to third in the ICC Men’s ODI Team Rankings when they host England and Sri Lanka in a tri-nation series beginning in Rawalpindi on Sunday. The hosts open their campaign against Sri Lanka before facing England at the same venue on Tuesday.

The series also offers Pakistan a chance to end their wait for a home multi-team ODI title and strengthen their preparations for the ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup, which is around a year away. Every match will provide valuable opportunities to assess combinations and build momentum ahead of the global tournament.

This will be Pakistan’s fifth multi-team ODI series at home since 1994, yet they are still searching for their first title in front of their home fans. The previous tri-series in Pakistan took place ahead of the ICC Champions Trophy 2025, when New Zealand lifted the trophy before defeating the hosts in the tournament’s opening match in Karachi.

Beyond preparations for the World Cup and the pursuit of silverware, the tri-series offers Pakistan a significant incentive in the rankings.

Pakistan currently occupy fifth place with 100 points, while England and Sri Lanka are both at 95 points. If Pakistan win all four of their league matches in the double round-robin format, they could climb two places to third, behind India and New Zealand.

Conversely, four defeats could see Pakistan drop to seventh with 94 points. If they win one match each against England and Sri Lanka and lose the other two, they are projected to remain fifth on 100 points.

The rankings stakes add another dimension to the series for head coach Mike Hesson, whose data-driven approach has been a feature of his tenure. A strong campaign would provide further evidence of Pakistan’s progress under his leadership, although sustained improvement will ultimately depend on performances beyond a single tournament.

Pakistan have named a 16-member squad for the series, with Shaheen Shah Afridi continuing as captain. The squad combines established internationals Babar Azam, Faheem Ashraf, Fakhar Zaman, Haris Rauf, Naseem Shah, Salman Ali Agha and Shadab Khan with emerging options including Abrar Ahmed, Arafat Minhas, Hasan Nawaz, Mohammad Ghazi Ghori, Razaullah, Saad Baig, Saim Ayub and Sufiyan Moqim.

The depth of the squad presents Hesson with some difficult selection decisions ahead of Sunday’s opener. If forced to make an early prediction, Hasan Nawaz, Haris Rauf, Razaullah, Saad Baig and Shadab Khan could be among those left out of the starting XI.

England arrive under captain Harry Brook without Jos Buttler, who is sidelined by injury, and Jofra Archer, who has been rested. Their squad nevertheless includes experienced performers Joe Root, Ben Duckett, Gus Atkinson, Tom Banton, Will Jacks, Jamie Overton, Josh Tongue and Liam Dawson, alongside returning all-rounder Sam Curran and leg-spinner Adil Rashid. England defeated Sri Lanka 2-1 in their recent home ODI series.

Sri Lanka, meanwhile, will look to carry momentum from their consolation victory in the final T20I against Pakistan, when Kusal Mendis and Kamindu Mendis shared an unbeaten 98-run partnership for the third wicket.

Opening batter Pathum Nissanka has been ruled out of the tri-series, with Lahiru Udara named as his replacement. Udara made an impression in the recent T20I series against Pakistan, scoring 91 from 55 balls in the opening match, with 11 fours and a six.

The series also brings together three high-profile coaches: Hesson, England’s Brendon McCullum and Sri Lanka’s Gary Kirsten.

Hesson leads Pakistan’s coaching setup, while McCullum now heads England’s white-ball programme following a restructuring of the coaching roles. Kirsten, meanwhile, left his position as Pakistan’s white-ball head coach in 2024 without taking charge of the side in an ODI.

There is a historical connection between Hesson and McCullum. When Hesson coached New Zealand from 2012 to 2015, McCullum captained the side. Together, they helped reshape New Zealand’s approach, fostering an aggressive, competitive style that challenged opponents more consistently and laid the foundations for the team’s subsequent success.

Pakistan enter the tri-series after a mixed year in ODI cricket. They lost 2-1 to Bangladesh before defeating world champions Australia by the same margin.

England have also enjoyed a productive run, winning three ODI series in 2026 by 2-1 margins, including two against Sri Lanka and one against New Zealand. Sri Lanka, who lost two series to England this year, also beat the West Indies 1-0 in Jamaica, with the other two matches affected by rain.

With rankings points, home advantage and World Cup preparation all at stake, Pakistan have plenty to play for. Winning the tri-series would not only deliver a long-awaited home title but could also lift them into the top three of the ODI rankings.