Pak vs SL today: what Sri Lanka need for the tri-series final, and Pakistan's chance to rotate

Pakistan play Sri Lanka at Gaddafi Stadium, Lahore, on Tuesday, 27 October, in the fifth match of the ODI tri-series. Pakistan are already in Saturday’s final; if Sri Lanka win today, they join them, and England are out.

The match is scheduled to start at 1pm Pakistan time, with PTV Sports showing it on TV and Tamasha, Tapmad and the PCB Live app streaming it. Check our full tri-series TV and streaming guide for other countries.

What does each result mean?

• Sri Lanka win: Sri Lanka qualify for the final against Pakistan on Saturday, 31 October, in Lahore. England’s last game, against Sri Lanka on Thursday, becomes a dead rubber.
• Pakistan win: England stay alive. Thursday’s Sri Lanka vs England game then decides the second finalist.

So England fans are, for once, supporting Pakistan today.

Pakistan: three from three, and a few questions

Pakistan have won all three of their games. They beat Sri Lanka by 37 runs in the opener, when Salman Ali Agha made 107 off 90 balls, and then got past England twice, the last time by one wicket after Shadab Khan’s unbeaten 113 and a record 89-run last-wicket stand with Haris Rauf.

That last win also showed the problem. Pakistan were 154 for nine chasing 242, and Dawn’s preview says the top order, Babar Azam and Fakhar Zaman included, still needs more consistency. With the final spot sealed, today is the obvious game to give Sahibzada Farhan a proper run. He came in after Saim Ayub was released, at his own request, to play domestic cricket. Spinner Sufiyan Moqim was released too, with the PCB citing the Lahore pitches, and Maaz Sadaqat was added as cover for players with minor niggles.

One record is in play. Captain Shaheen Shah Afridi has seven wickets in the series and needs four more at Gaddafi Stadium to pass Wasim Akram’s 23 and become the ground’s leading ODI wicket-taker, Dawn noted.

Sri Lanka: one win, one loss, no Hasaranga

Kusal Mendis leads Sri Lanka, who lost the opener to Pakistan and then beat England by two wickets. Leg-spinner Wanindu Hasaranga is out injured, according to previews. Pavan Rathnayake has been their best batter of the series with 209 runs, and Asitha Fernando their leading wicket-taker with four, 24 News reported.

Pakistan’s leading wicket-taker so far is not Shaheen but all-rounder Arafat Minhas, with eight, and Salman Agha is their top scorer with 149 runs.

Head to head

This is the 162nd ODI between the sides. Pakistan have won 97 of the first 161, Sri Lanka 59, with one tie and four no results.

Our view

If Pakistan treat this as a trial match, Sri Lanka are good enough to take it, and that would hand Pakistan a final against a side they have already beaten once. A full-strength Pakistan win, on the other hand, keeps England in the tournament and lets Thursday decide. Watch the first ten overs: if Farhan and the top order get a start, Pakistan go into Saturday with their biggest worry answered.