Group Finale at Gaddafi Stadium: Following Tuesday's emphatic eight-wicket demolition of Pakistan—where Dilshan Madushanka's fiery 5/34 decimated the hosts for 110 before Kamindu Mendis' unbeaten 62* sealed a place in Saturday's final—Sri Lanka take on England in Match 6 of the Pakistan ODI Tri-Series 2026 at Gaddafi Stadium! While Kusal Mendis' Lions treat this encounter as the ultimate tactical dress rehearsal ahead of their title clash against Pakistan, Harry Brook's winless England—stung by back-to-back agonizing finishes despite Ben Duckett's 105 and Brook's historic 202 earlier in the tournament—fight for pride to avoid a 0-4 series sweep. Stream every powerplay boundary, key reverse-swing spell, and live scorecard directly on [[/channel/willow-sports-live-cricket-tv/:Willow by Cricbuzz]] via TrillerTV.
Group Finale & Strategic Rehearsal
With the final lineup set between Sri Lanka and Pakistan, Match 6 gives Sri Lanka an opportunity to fine-tune batting combinations and manage bowling workloads, while England seek a morale-restoring performance to end their campaign on a positive note.
For Sri Lanka, captained by [[/fighter/kusal-mendis/40366/:Kusal Mendis]] (with Charith Asalanka in the leadership group), balance and momentum are top priorities. Powered by spearhead left-arm pacer Dilshan Madushanka (coming off career-best figures of 5/34 against Pakistan), in-form run machine Kamindu Mendis (62* off 60), middle-order centurion Pavan Rathnayake (130 against England in Match 3), Avishka Fernando, Janith Liyanage, and mystery quick Eshan Malinga, the Lions are playing with peak confidence.
For England, skippered by [[/fighter/harry-brook/39926/:Harry Brook]], tightening middle-and-death bowling execution is vital. Despite brilliant individual batting milestones—including Harry Brook's 202 and Ben Duckett's fluent 105 against Pakistan—defensive bowling lapses and fielding errors have proved costly in tight chases. England will rely on Joe Root, Tom Banton, Sam Curran, [[/fighter/will-jacks/39933/:Will Jacks]], and all-rounder Jamie Overton (3 wickets in Match 4) alongside pacers Gus Atkinson and Josh Tongue to halt Sri Lanka's run.
Sri Lanka ODI Squad
Core Lineup / Key Performers: [[/fighter/kusal-mendis/40366/:Kusal Mendis]] (C & wk), Kamindu Mendis (62* in Match 5), Dilshan Madushanka (5/34 in Match 5), Pavan Rathnayake (130 in Match 3), Avishka Fernando, Charith Asalanka, Dasun Shanaka, Janith Liyanage, Sahan Arachchige, Dunith Wellalage, Eshan Malinga, Asitha Fernando, [[/fighter/maheesh-theekshana/40505/:Maheesh Theekshana]], [[/fighter/matheesha-pathirana-baby-malinga/40367/:Matheesha Pathirana]], Dushmantha Chameera, Lahiru Udara
Tactical Focus: Early swing and seam movement from Dilshan Madushanka and Asitha Fernando, composed top-order accumulation through Kamindu Mendis and Pavan Rathnayake, and middle-overs squeeze via Dunith Wellalage.
England ODI Squad
Core Lineup / Key Performers: [[/fighter/harry-brook/39926/:Harry Brook]] (C & 202 in Match 3), Ben Duckett (105 in Match 4), Joe Root, Tom Banton, Jordan Cox (wk), Sam Curran (42 & all-round), [[/fighter/will-jacks/39933/:Will Jacks]], Jamie Overton (3/61 in Match 4), Gus Atkinson (36 cameo), Josh Tongue, Liam Dawson, [[/fighter/adil-rashid/40378/:Adil Rashid]], Sonny Baker, Henry Crocombe, James Coles
Tactical Focus: Aggressive new-ball counter-attacks through Ben Duckett and Tom Banton, anchor presence from Joe Root, and disciplined seam control and yorker lengths from Jamie Overton and Gus Atkinson.
Pitch & Weather: Gaddafi Stadium provides true bounce and strong batting conditions with an average first-innings score of ~249 runs. While fresh early lateral movement exists for the seamers, conditions flatten out during the middle overs before light evening moisture assists fluent chasing under lights. Clear, warm autumn weather around 31°C expected during the afternoon, dipping to 17°C by the late evening.