Pakistan vs Sri Lanka ODI on 18 October in Rawalpindi Starts at 1 pm PKT
Pakistan play Sri Lanka in the first tri-series ODI on Sunday 18 October 2026 in Rawalpindi at 1 pm PKT. See the UK and UAE times and the Lahore rematch date.
Short answer: Pakistan play Sri Lanka in the first match of the ODI tri-series on Sunday 18 October 2026 at Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium. The start is 1 pm Pakistan time, which is 8 am GMT. The same two sides meet again at Gaddafi Stadium, Lahore, on Tuesday 27 October, also at 1 pm.
Until now the start time of the 18 October game was the one detail missing from the tri-series fixture list. England's board published times for six of the seven matches, but not for this opener. We found the time on a public scorecard schedule on 14 October 2026.
The PCB's own website was behind a bot check when we tried it, so we cannot show you the PCB listing. Treat 1 pm as reported until the PCB match centre confirms it.
The first ODI of the tri-series starts at 1 pm PKT on Sunday
The scorecard schedule lists the Pakistan v Sri Lanka match on Sunday 18 October as the 1st Match, marked day-night, with a local start of 1 pm and an 8 am GMT equivalent. It is held at Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium.
Sunday is a good day for a stadium visit. It is the only weekend match of the Rawalpindi leg. The other two Rawalpindi games are on Tuesday 20 October and Thursday 22 October.
| Date | Match | Ground | Start (PKT) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sunday 18 October | Pakistan v Sri Lanka, 1st match | Rawalpindi | 1 pm |
| Tuesday 27 October | Pakistan v Sri Lanka, 5th match | Lahore | 1 pm |
The time is 9 am in the UK and noon in the UAE
A 1 pm start in Pakistan is 8 am GMT. In the UK it is 9 am until the clocks go back on 25 October. In the United Arab Emirates it is noon, and in Saudi Arabia it is 11 am. Pakistan does not change its clocks.
That matters for fans abroad, because the later Lahore games start at the same 1 pm Pakistan time. After 25 October the UK gap moves from four hours to five hours. The second Pakistan v Sri Lanka match on 27 October will then be 8 am in the UK.
- Take 1 pm Pakistan time as your base.
- Subtract 5 hours for GMT, so 8 am.
- Add 1 hour for the UK until 25 October, so 9 am.
- Subtract 1 hour for the UAE, so noon.
- Subtract 2 hours for Saudi Arabia, so 11 am.
The ODI side comes straight after the T20I series
Pakistan beat Sri Lanka 2-1 in the T20I series, which ended on 13 October at the same ground. The 50-over format is different. Each bowler can bowl 10 overs, and there are three powerplays. Team plans change a lot between formats.
The T20I series ended with a win for Sri Lanka by 8 wickets, which you can read in our report on the 3rd T20I. The ODI rules differ from T20, and the ODI rules for the tri-series explain powerplays and the new ball.
Sahibzada Farhan scored 238 runs in the three T20Is, from 89, 73 and 76. Whether he plays the 50-over game depends on the squad. The three squads are listed in full squad details for Pakistan, England and Sri Lanka.
Tickets are sold in cash at TCS centres and the ground has entry rules
PCB sells tri-series tickets in cash at TCS Express Centres. We have a separate page on the centres and the dates. Entry rules at Rawalpindi are about CNIC, banned items and the gates, and they are the same as for the T20Is.
The ticket process is in our guide to buying PCB tickets in cash at a TCS Express Centre. For gates and banned items at the ground, see the Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium match day guide. A 1 pm start means you should plan to reach the gates in the morning.
Lahore fans can use the Gaddafi Stadium guide for the tri-series for the 27 October match.
PTV holds the home rights but the ODI channel list is not out
PTV Sports won Pakistan's home cricket rights for Rs 350 million, as we reported earlier. The channel list for the ODIs themselves has not been confirmed by the PCB. Check the PCB site on the morning of the match.
For the T20Is, PTV Sports and the PCB apps were confirmed. We expect a similar list for the ODIs, but that is our expectation and not a PCB notice. The rights deal is explained in PTV's Rs 350 million home cricket rights.
Common questions
What time does Pakistan v Sri Lanka start on 18 October?
1 pm Pakistan time, which is 8 am GMT. The source is a public scorecard schedule. The PCB has not confirmed it on a page we could open.
Where is the first ODI played?
At Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium. It is the first of three matches in Rawalpindi.
Is the match a day or day-night game?
The schedule marks it as day-night. A 1 pm start means the match may end under lights.
When is the second Pakistan v Sri Lanka ODI?
Tuesday 27 October at Gaddafi Stadium, Lahore, also at 1 pm Pakistan time.
Which team plays on 20 October?
Pakistan play England at Rawalpindi on 20 October. England have no match on 18 October.
How many teams reach the final?
The top two sides after six league matches meet in the final at Lahore on 31 October.
How we verified this
What we checked, where we read it, and what we could not confirm.
Last checked on 14 October 2026, Pakistan time. We read the Pakistan ODI Tri-Series fixture list on a public scorecard service, which shows the 18 and 27 October matches with a 1 pm local start. The PCB's own page at pcb.com.pk returned a bot check, so we did not compare it. We did not confirm the channel list for the ODIs. The time conversions are our own arithmetic.
About the author
Public Services and Education Journalist
Fajr Riaz is a journalist and content writer at Pakistan Era, based in Lahore. She covers the questions people meet in everyday life in Pakistan: how a public service works, what a change in the rules means, and where to find a reliable answer.
