It is a warning rather than a verdict. Pakistan were bowled out for 110 in 25.3 overs and beaten by 8 wickets on 27 October, yet they still finished the league phase with 3 wins and top spot, which keeps their place in Saturday’s showpiece in Lahore secure. What matters is that the same opponent waits at the same ground, and the batting has four days to answer Madushanka’s career-best 5/34, a spell that exposed a middle order in need of repair.
A 25.3-Over Collapse in Lahore
Pakistan were all out for 110 in 25.3 overs at Lahore on 27 October, with Babar Azam’s 29 off 33 the highest score of the innings. Hasan Nawaz made 17 off 31, Shaheen 15 off 13 and Minhas 10 off 18, and no one else reached double figures. Two wickets were down for 23 and five for 61, so the innings had lost its shape before the lower order arrived. That left nearly 25 overs of batting unused, which is a long way short of what an ODI side expects from its top order.
Madushanka took a career-best 5/34 from 8.3 overs, Arachchige added 2/24, and three more bowlers claimed a wicket each. The chase lasted about 18 overs, with Kamindu Mendis unbeaten on 62 off 60 while Avishka Fernando made 16 and Kusal Mendis 8. Sri Lanka won by 8 wickets, a margin that doubles as a statement ahead of a rematch on the same ground.
Pakistan ODI tri-series 2026 final
The decider is scheduled for Saturday 31 October at Gaddafi Stadium in Lahore, a repeat of the fixture that ended in the 8-wicket Sri Lanka win. Both finalists were already confirmed before that game, so the result changed pride and momentum rather than qualification. Sri Lanka will carry the freshest memory into it, while Pakistan arrive with the sharper motive.
Pakistan sit first with 3 wins and 6 points, Sri Lanka are second, and England are out of the event after losing every match. Net run rate figures have not been released. They matter little now that two teams are through and the title is the only prize left. The only open question is who lifts the trophy.
Babar Carries the Batting Load
Babar has made 45, 34, 10 and 29 across four matches for 118 runs at a strike rate of 79.19, without hitting a single six. The absence of sixes shows how much of his scoring has depended on placement and running between the wickets. Nobody else in the lineup has matched his steadiness. Fakhar Zaman has 16 runs from three matches with a highest score of 16, and his 5 off 13 against Sri Lanka showed how hard he is finding it to settle.
Saim Ayub made 111 runs at a strike rate of 132.00 before his release on 26 October, and Salman Agha has 142 with a highest score of 105 not out. Hasan Nawaz holds the largest run total of the group on 229 from six matches. The table sets each batter against a career baseline.
| Batter | Matches | Runs | Highest | Strike Rate | Career Baseline |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Babar Azam | 4 | 118 | 45 | 79.19 | 86.38 ODI SR |
| Fakhar Zaman | 3 | 16 | 16 | 61.53 | 93.15 ODI SR |
| Saim Ayub | 5 | 111 | 23 | 132.00 | 100.00 ODI SR |
| Salman Ali Agha | 4 | 142 | 105* | 110.93 | 300* FC high |
| Hasan Nawaz | 6 | 229 | 79 | 91.60 | 155.16 T20I SR |
Squad Questions Before Saturday
Moqim has been released, and Maaz Sadaqat added, while Naseem Shah is dealing with a finger injury whose seriousness has not been confirmed. Saim Ayub, who made 6 against England, was let go on 26 October, with Farhan coming in as his replacement. Those moves leave the batting depth that went missing against Sri Lanka as the central question. Maaz Sadaqat has already batted once, making 8 off 11 against Sri Lanka.
No change to the XI since 27 October has been announced, and no word has emerged from the camp on the team for the decider. Until it is named, the Pakistan ODI tri-series 2026 final turns on whether the batters can restore faith quickly against an attack that has just bowled them out cheaply. Lahore will find out quickly whether the collapse was a one-off.