Pakistan, England and Sri Lanka set for World Cup warm-up

Pakistan, England and Sri Lanka are scheduled to begin a seven-match one-day international tri-series on October 18, using the tournament as preparation for the 2027 Cricket World Cup. The series will run through October 31, with matches in Rawalpindi and Lahore and a final scheduled in Lahore. Each team will play the other two twice in a double round-robin league. The top two teams will advance to the final on October 31. Pakistan and Sri Lanka are set to open the series in Rawalpindi on October 18, followed by Pakistan’s match against England on October 20 and England’s meeting with Sri Lanka on October 22. The remaining league games are scheduled for Lahore from October 25 to 29. Pakistan captain Shaheen Shah Afridi said the competition would be important preparation for the World Cup, which is due to be co-hosted by South Africa, Zimbabwe and Namibia. England captain Harry Brook described the tournament as an opportunity to test his side against strong opponents. Sri Lanka captain Kusal Mendis said his team had plans in place for the World Cup and hoped to show progress. The three sides have each won the World Cup, but their recent results provide a varied backdrop to the...