Lahore, Aug 19 (IANS) The ODI tri-series returns to Pakistan when the hosts welcome England and Sri Lanka for a six-match tournament from October 18 to 31, the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) announced on Wednesday.

The tri-series, featuring Pakistan, England and Sri Lanka, will be played across the Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium and Gaddafi Stadium in Lahore, with the final scheduled for October 31 in Lahore.

The tournament will begin with Pakistan taking on Sri Lanka in Rawalpindi on October 18. Pakistan will then face England at the same venue on October 20, before Sri Lanka and England meet on October 22.

The three teams will subsequently move to Lahore, where Pakistan will face England on October 25, followed by Pakistan’s clash against Sri Lanka on October 27. Sri Lanka and England will meet in the sixth match on October 29, with the top two teams progressing to the final at Gaddafi Stadium on October 31.

The upcoming tri-series will be the second of its kind hosted by Pakistan in as many years. Ahead of the ICC Champions Trophy 2025, Pakistan hosted New Zealand and South Africa in an ODI tri-series in February last year.

The PCB has also announced a busy bilateral schedule involving Sri Lanka and England, with the three teams set to feature in matches between October 9 and November 21.

Sri Lanka will arrive in Pakistan on October 4 for a three-match T20I series against the hosts, with all three matches scheduled to be played in Rawalpindi on October 9, 11 and 13.

England will then arrive for the ODI tri-series, while Sri Lanka will return to action after the tournament in a three-day match in Islamabad from November 4 to 6.

Pakistan and Sri Lanka will then play a two-match Test series, which will form part of the ICC World Test Championship 2025-27. The first Test will be played in Rawalpindi from November 9 to 13, followed by the second Test at Gaddafi Stadium in Lahore from November 17 to 21.

The series will be Pakistan’s second Test assignment at home in the ongoing WTC cycle after South Africa toured the country for a two-Test series in October last year.

ODI tri-series schedule:

October 18: Pakistan vs Sri Lanka, Rawalpindi

October 20: Pakistan vs England, Rawalpindi

October 22: Sri Lanka vs England, Rawalpindi

October 25: Pakistan vs England, Lahore

October 27: Pakistan vs Sri Lanka, Lahore

October 29: Sri Lanka vs England, Lahore

October 31: Tri-series final, Lahore

–IANS

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