Pakistan vs Sri Lanka 2026: Result, Final, Tests, How to Watch
Sri Lanka bowled Pakistan out for 110 in Lahore to reach the ODI tri-series final on October 31. Here are the results, squads, start times, Test dates and where to watch.
- Sri Lanka beat Pakistan by eight wickets in Lahore on October 27, 2026, after Dilshan Madushanka took 5 for 34 and Pakistan were all out for 110.
- The same teams meet in the ODI tri-series final on Saturday, October 31, at 13:00 PKT (08:00 GMT, 13:30 IST and SLST); England are out.
- Two World Test Championship Tests follow: November 9–13 in Rawalpindi and November 17–21 in Lahore.
The Pakistan vs Sri Lanka match everyone is searching for ended in a heavy home defeat: Sri Lanka bowled Pakistan out for 110 in Lahore on Tuesday, October 27, 2026, and won by eight wickets with 191 balls to spare. The two teams meet again in the ODI tri-series final on Saturday, October 31, at Gaddafi Stadium, starting at 13:00 PKT (08:00 GMT, 13:30 IST and SLST).
That final is not the end of the rivalry this autumn. Sri Lanka's tour of Pakistan began with three T20Is in early October and finishes with two World Test Championship matches in November. England joined for the one-day tri-series, but Tuesday's result knocked them out. This guide covers the results so far, the squads, start times in four time zones and how to watch, as of October 27, 2026.
Pakistan vs Sri Lanka result: Madushanka rips through Lahore
Sri Lanka captain Kusal Mendis won the toss and chose to bowl, WION reported. Left-arm seamer Dilshan Madushanka then took 5 for 34, the best figures of his ODI career, and Pakistan were all out in 25.3 overs. ESPNcricinfo's match report says 110 is Pakistan's second-lowest ODI total at home.
Babar Azam top-scored with 29 from 33 balls, and only three other Pakistan batters reached double figures. Spinner Sahan Arachchige took 2 for 24. AFP's report notes that Pakistan's lowest home ODI total, 75, also came against Sri Lanka in Lahore, back in 2009.
Kamindu Mendis made 62 not out from 60 balls and Pavan Rathnayake finished on 23 not out, as Sri Lanka reached 114 for 2 in 18.1 overs, according to the series summary on Wikipedia. Madushanka was named player of the match. ANI's report says the win ended a run of five straight defeats to Pakistan.
Pakistan captain Shaheen Shah Afridi said afterwards: "We will come back in the final and bat stronger," AFP reported.
The ODI tri-series so far
The tri-series runs from October 18 to 31. Each team plays the other two twice, and the top two meet in the final, under the schedule the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) released in August, as WION reported at the time. It doubles as build-up for the 2027 ODI World Cup.
- Oct 18, Rawalpindi: Pakistan 305 beat Sri Lanka 268 by 37 runs. Salman Ali Agha scored 107.
- Oct 20, Rawalpindi: Pakistan 302 for 9 beat England 215 by 87 runs. Arafat Minhas took 6 for 40.
- Oct 22, Rawalpindi: Sri Lanka chased down 430 to beat England by two wickets, after Harry Brook's 202. Rathnayake scored 130.
- Oct 25, Lahore: Pakistan beat England by one wicket, with Shadab Khan making 113 not out.
- Oct 27, Lahore: Sri Lanka beat Pakistan by eight wickets.
- Oct 29, Lahore: England vs Sri Lanka, now a dead rubber.
- Oct 31, Lahore: Final, Pakistan vs Sri Lanka.
Sky Sports called Brook's innings the first ODI double hundred by an England batter, and AFP described Sri Lanka's reply as the second-highest successful chase in ODI history. After five games, Pakistan had 6 points from four matches, Sri Lanka 4 from three and England none, according to ESPNcricinfo's table. Sri Lanka's net run rate (+1.255) is far ahead of Pakistan's (-0.114), though that no longer matters with both teams through.
The T20I series: Pakistan won 2-1
The tour opened with three T20Is at Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium. Pakistan, led by Sahibzada Farhan, won the first by four wickets on October 9 and the second by 82 runs on October 11 to take the series. Sri Lanka won the third by eight wickets on October 13, with Kusal Mendis making 87 not out from 48 balls, ESPNcricinfo reported.
Farhan made 76 from 47 balls in that last game. AFP quoted him afterwards saying the 168-run total "was not enough".
Pakistan vs Sri Lanka squads and captains
Captains differ by format, so the names change between the tri-series and the Tests.
- Pakistan (ODIs): Shaheen Shah Afridi captains a squad that includes Babar Azam, Fakhar Zaman, Salman Ali Agha, Shadab Khan, Haris Rauf, Naseem Shah, Abrar Ahmed and Arafat Minhas. Outlook India reports that Saim Ayub was released to work on his batting and Sahibzada Farhan replaced him.
- Sri Lanka (ODIs): Kusal Mendis is captain and wicketkeeper. The squad includes Kamindu Mendis, Avishka Fernando, Pavan Rathnayake, Dasun Shanaka, Maheesh Theekshana, Dushmantha Chameera, Madushanka and Eshan Malinga.
Test squads
Pakistan named 14 players for the Tests on October 24, with Babar Azam as captain and three uncapped batters: Mohammad Taha, Mohammad Suleman and Sameer Minhas, the ICC reported. Two fast bowlers will be added after a three-day game between a PCB Patron's XI and the tourists, India TV reported. Mohammad Rizwan, Imam-ul-Haq, Shan Masood and Abdullah Shafique are not in the squad.
Sri Lanka Cricket named 15 players on October 13, with Kusal Mendis as Test captain. Opener Pathum Nissanka was picked on condition that he proved his fitness, but he has since been ruled out with a left hamstring injury, and Lahiru Udara replaces him, Ada Derana reported.
Schedule and start times
All tri-series games are day/night matches starting at 13:00 Pakistan time (PKT, UTC+5), with the toss at 12:30, according to Outlook India. Sky Sports lists them at 8am UK time. Sri Lanka Standard Time (SLST) and India Standard Time (IST) are both UTC+5:30.
- Thursday, Oct 29: England vs Sri Lanka, Lahore. 13:00 PKT, 08:00 GMT, 13:30 IST and SLST.
- Saturday, Oct 31 (final): Pakistan vs Sri Lanka, Gaddafi Stadium, Lahore. 13:00 PKT, 08:00 GMT, 13:30 IST and SLST, 04:00 ET.
- Nov 4–6: Three-day tour match, Islamabad.
- Nov 9–13, 1st Test: Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium.
- Nov 17–21, 2nd Test: Gaddafi Stadium, Lahore.
The BBC's fixture list shows both Tests and the tour match starting at 05:00 GMT, which is 10:00 PKT and 10:30 IST and SLST. One wire report described the final as a Sunday fixture, but the published schedule and Wisden both give Saturday, October 31. Start times can change, so check the PCB website or Sri Lanka Cricket's channels the day before.
How to watch Pakistan vs Sri Lanka
These are the tri-series broadcasters listed by Wisden and Sky Sports as of October 27, 2026:
- Pakistan: PTV Sports on TV; streaming on Tapmad, Tamasha and the PCB Live app.
- Sri Lanka: Peo TV and Siyatha TV; streaming on Dialog.
- UK: Sky Sports Cricket, with NOW for streaming without a Sky contract.
- India: no TV broadcast. The series streams on the Veto app, which The Sporting News said was free at the time of writing.
- North America: Cricbuzz and the PCB Live app, according to Wisden.
- Australia: Fox Sports. Bangladesh: T Sports.
No broadcaster list for the Tests had been published in the sources checked as of October 27. Treat any Test TV listing as unconfirmed until the PCB announces it.
Why the Test series matters
Both Tests count toward the ICC World Test Championship 2025–27. Pakistan are last in the table and Sri Lanka are seventh, according to the ICC, so each side needs points to climb.
Our take
Based on the reporting, Tuesday's game exposed a weakness that Pakistan's winning run had partly hidden. The one-wicket win over England needed a rescue act: Shadab's unbeaten century and a last-wicket stand with Haris Rauf. Against Madushanka's short-pitched bowling, the top order folded, and ESPNcricinfo described several dismissals as soft.
Sri Lanka go into the final with momentum and Kamindu Mendis in form. Pakistan still have home conditions and the attack that bowled England out for 215. The tour has been even: Pakistan won the T20Is 2-1 and the first tri-series meeting, while Sri Lanka won the last T20I and Tuesday's game. The Tests bring new captains and largely new squads.
What to watch for
- October 29: whether Sri Lanka rest key bowlers in the dead rubber against England.
- October 31: the final, and how Pakistan's top order handles Sri Lanka's seamers.
- After November 6: the two fast bowlers Pakistan add to their Test squad.
- November 9 and 17: the first ball of each Test, and the updated WTC table after each one.
For the other big series this week, see our India vs New Zealand cricket guide.
Frequently asked questions
Who won Pakistan vs Sri Lanka on October 27, 2026?
Sri Lanka won by eight wickets at Gaddafi Stadium, Lahore. Pakistan were bowled out for 110 in 25.3 overs, with Dilshan Madushanka taking 5 for 34, and Sri Lanka chased the target in 18.1 overs. Kamindu Mendis scored 62 not out.
When is the Pakistan vs Sri Lanka tri-series final?
The final is on Saturday, October 31, 2026, at Gaddafi Stadium in Lahore. It starts at 13:00 PKT, which is 08:00 GMT and 13:30 IST and SLST, with the toss half an hour earlier. Check official channels on the day in case of changes.
Where can I watch Pakistan vs Sri Lanka in India?
According to The Sporting News and Wisden, the tri-series has no TV broadcast in India and is streaming on the Veto app. The Sporting News said the app was free at the time of writing.
When does the Pakistan vs Sri Lanka Test series start?
The first Test is at Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium from November 9 to 13, 2026, and the second is at Gaddafi Stadium, Lahore, from November 17 to 21. Both count toward the ICC World Test Championship 2025–27. The BBC fixture list shows a 05:00 GMT (10:00 PKT) start.
Who won the Pakistan vs Sri Lanka T20I series?
Pakistan won the three-match T20I series 2-1 in Rawalpindi. They won the first two games, and Sri Lanka won the third by eight wickets on October 13, 2026, behind 87 not out from Kusal Mendis.
Sources
- Madushanka skittles Pakistan for 110, secures SL's entry into final, ESPNcricinfo
- Kusal Mendis 87* hands Sri Lanka consolation win, ESPNcricinfo
- 2026–27 Pakistan ODI Tri-Series, Wikipedia
- ODI Tri-Series is Back: Pakistan to host Sri Lanka and England in October; check schedule, WION
- Lahore ODI: Sri Lanka crush Pakistan to qualify for tri-series final; England knocked out, WION
- Madushanka's 5-wicket haul helps Sri Lanka beat hosts by 8 wickets to enter Pakistan ODI tri-series final (ANI), The Tribune
- Madushanka wrecks Pakistan as Sri Lanka press for final slot (AFP), France 24
- Mendis, Shanaka star in Sri Lanka consolation T20I win (AFP), France 24
- Pakistan vs. Sri Lanka free live stream: How to watch Pakistan ODI tri-series clash in India, The Sporting News (Yahoo Sports)
- Sri Lanka in Pakistan 2026 (BBC fixture list), BBC Sport (Yahoo Sports)
- Pakistan Vs Sri Lanka ODI Tri-Series Live Streaming: Preview, Squad, When And Where To Watch, Outlook India
- Sri Lanka Test Squad for Pakistan Tour 2026, Sri Lanka Cricket
- Pakistan bring in fresh batting talent for Sri Lanka Tests, ICC
- Pakistan announce Test squad for Sri Lanka series; Salman Agha returns, Mohammad Rizwan dropped, India TV
- England's ODI tri-series against Pakistan and Sri Lanka: Latest schedule, results and how to watch on Sky Sports, Sky Sports
- Pakistan Tri-Series 2026, Live Streaming And TV Channels, Wisden
- Pathum Nissanka ruled out of Pakistan Test series, Ada Derana
How we wrote this
GessyMorgan explainers are built from public reporting and official sources. This post draws on the 17 sources listed above, each linked where we use it. It was drafted with AI assistance and checked against those sources before publishing. We did not test products, attend events or interview anyone for this article. Facts are current as of October 27, 2026, and we update the post when they change.
