England favorite to win tri-series in Pakistan also featuring Sri Lanka

England is favored to win the ODI tri-series against Pakistan and Sri Lanka, despite the absence of key players Jos Buttler and Jofra Archer. The three nations have all qualified for the World Cup co-hosted by South Africa, Zimbabwe, and Namibia, making the series a training ground for their squads. The match will be played on a double league format, with Rawalpindi hosting the first three games, including the opening match between Pakistan and Sri Lanka on Sunday. The final will take place on October 31st between the two top teams.

England has been on a winning streak, securing three consecutive bilateral ODI series, including home and away victories against Sri Lanka and a 2-1 triumph over India at home. Captain Harry Brook expressed excitement about facing Pakistan and Sri Lanka in subcontinental conditions, stating that it will be a challenging test for the team.

Fast bowler Archer has been rested due to a busy home summer, while Buttler is out of action with a hamstring injury. Cox will have the chance to prove himself as a wicketkeeper-batter, and white-ball coach Brendon McCullum can assess the depth of the squad ahead of the World Cup. Sonny Baker has replaced Archer, and observers will closely watch his performance, particularly his reverse-swing skills and yorkers in the death overs.

Brook recalled fond memories of playing in Pakistan, having played for Lahore Qalandars in the 2022 Pakistan Super League and scoring 468 runs in the three-test series. He is optimistic about the team's potential to succeed in the tournament, with Babar Azam being a crucial player for them. Babar, who has scored only one ODI century in the last three years, averaged 53.43 in his career with 6,626 runs, including 20 centuries.

He briefly turned to four-day domestic cricket after England's 3-0 test series win over Pakistan but returned with scores of 12, 4, 21, and 21 in four innings.

Pakistan's captain Shaheen Afridi is optimistic about the team's chances, emphasizing Babar's importance as a backbone of the team. However, the team has been without some key players, including Babar in recent ODI matches, and Sri Lanka is missing their top performers, including Pathum Nissanka, Wanindu Hasaranga, and Avishka Fernando. The tri-series offers an opportunity for the teams to prove themselves and prepare for the upcoming World Cup.