England begin their tri-series campaign in Pakistan on Tuesday in Rawalpindi, with Hasan Nawaz and Will Jacks among the names carrying their renewed one-day push into a very different setting. Sri Lanka are also in the competition, and this opening match is the first chance to show whether England's improved ODI record can travel.
The timing matters because England have won three consecutive ODI series this year under Harry Brook and Brendon McCullum, and each of those series went all the way to deciders before they surged clear with 350-plus totals. That run has rebuilt some confidence after a bad World Cup defence in 2023 and a winless Champions Trophy in early 2025, but it has not yet been tested in the sort of conditions Pakistan can produce.
Jacks sits at the centre of that test. He has become England's established finisher in white-ball cricket and was their leading wicket-taker in ODIs this year, which is quite a shift for a player who made his international debut four years ago in Pakistan. Last month, against Sri Lanka at Chester-le-Street, he underlined both sides of his game with an unbeaten 46 and a five-fer in the same match.
There is also a selection edge to the tour. Thomas Rew, 18, could become the third-youngest man to play for England, Eddie Jack, 21, has already played seven T20 internationals, and Mason Crane has returned to the frame with one Test cap after a revival at Glamorgan, while Rehan Ahmed has been omitted. That leaves England with a side built more for experimentation and momentum than certainty.
What happens in Rawalpindi will matter beyond Tuesday, because this is part of England's build-up to the 50-over World Cup next year and the opposition has already shown it can score in this region. Pakistan beat Australia 2-1 at home in June, and their highest total in that three-match series was 231, a reminder that England may not get the kind of batting runway they have enjoyed recently. If their new ODI rhythm holds there, it will say more than any 350-plus chase ever could.
