England, Pakistan and Sri Lanka build up to World Cup with tri-series

England, Pakistan, and Sri Lanka are preparing for the 2024 World Cup by hosting a tri-series in Rawalpindi from Sunday. The tournament, co-hosted by South Africa, Zimbabwe, and Namibia, begins a little over a year before the main event. Pakistan captain Shaheen Shah Afridi emphasized the importance of the series, stating that their performance will focus on the upcoming World Cup.

All three teams are former World Cup champions, but recent results have been less impressive. Pakistan hasn't qualified for the ODI World Cup semi-finals since 2011 and finished fifth in the 2023 World Cup in India. England won the title at home in 2019, but their performance dipped in the 2023 World Cup, where they finished seventh.

Sri Lanka, the 1996 champions, are no better. England skipper Harry Brook sees the series as a valuable opportunity, particularly against strong opponents like Pakistan and Sri Lanka, and believes it will help them assess their standing. England is missing star batter Jos Buttler (injured) and fast bowler Jofra Archer (rested), but they are on a strong run after winning three successive ODI series – two against Sri Lanka and one over India.

Sri Lanka's skipper Kusal Mendis expressed optimism and hopes the team will show progress towards the World Cup. The tri-series schedule includes matches on October 18, 20, and 22 between Pakistan and Sri Lanka, and ten and 27 between England and Sri Lanka, all in Rawalpindi. The final match is scheduled for October 31 in Lahore.