Pakistan vs England at Rawalpindi on Tuesday, 20 October 2026 is scheduled to start at 9 am BST: 1 pm in Pakistan, 4 am EDT or 1 am PDT in the United States. UK coverage is on Sky Sports Cricket and NOW; the Pakistan Cricket Board lists Willow TV for television and digital coverage in North America. These are match-start times, separate from a broadcaster’s programme start.
This is England’s opening match in the ODI tri-series with Pakistan and Sri Lanka. The seven-match competition runs from 18 to 31 October, with the first three games in Rawalpindi before the action moves to Lahore. Each side plays the others twice and the top two reach the final. England’s presence in that final is therefore conditional, even though the date is already on the calendar.
England’s remaining tri-series fixtures
| Date 2026 | Match | City | UK start |
|---|---|---|---|
| 20 Oct | Pakistan v England | Rawalpindi | 9 am BST |
| 22 Oct | Sri Lanka v England | Rawalpindi | 9 am BST |
| 25 Oct | Pakistan v England | Lahore | 8 am GMT |
| 29 Oct | Sri Lanka v England | Lahore | 8 am GMT |
| 31 Oct | Final: top two teams | Lahore | 8 am GMT |
All scheduled for 1 pm PKT. England must qualify for thefinal.20 Oct US start:4 am EDT/1 am PDT.
The same Pakistan start, a changing UK clock
The PCB says every match starts at 1 pm Pakistan time, with the toss at 12:30 pm. For 20 October, subtracting four hours gives 9 am BST; the same instant is 4 am EDT and 1 am PDT. A viewer in the United States should retain the Eastern or Pacific label when saving the fixture, because a bare “4 am” is not a nationwide start time.
Britain’s clocks change during this competition. The ECB lists England’s 20 and 22 October games at 9 am BST, then the 25 and 29 October matches and 31 October final at 8 am GMT. Pakistan’s published start remains 1 pm. The one-hour difference in the British listings is consequently a time-zone change, not a new Pakistan start time. The table keeps the date and zone beside each fixture.
Where to watch in Britain and the United States
For UK viewers, the ECB directs television audiences to Sky Sports Cricket and streaming viewers to NOW Sports. Sky’s announcement confirms live coverage of the full tri-series. If audio is more practical, the ECB lists Test Match Special for every England match on BBC Sounds, Radio 5 Sports Extra and the BBC Sport website or app. Its own website and app also provide live scorecards.
For US viewers, the organizer’s regional rights list identifies Willow for both TV and digital coverage. Willow’s US television page provides routes through participating providers and packages. That establishes a viewing destination, but access still depends on the service attached to the viewer’s account. Willow links several provider options, so check the sports package on the account you already use before choosing a new one.
Choose the fixture and access route together
Open the official coverage link for your region below, select the 20 October Pakistan–England fixture and check the relevant sports entitlement before purchasing or assuming access. Keep the match time separate from a television programme’s advertised opening. If you only need the score, use the ECB website or England Cricket app’s live scorecard route.
For the rest of England’s group stage, reserve 22 October against Sri Lanka, 25 October against Pakistan and 29 October against Sri Lanka. Change the UK calendar label to GMT from 25 October, and treat 31 October as a possible England final until qualification is settled. A fixture amendment or an updated official coverage listing would be the reason to revise this plan.
Times and rights checked against the PCB organizer announcement, ECB guide, Sky coverage announcement and Willow US access page on 20 October. US conversions use the date-specific time zones; no paid stream was tested.
- ECB·How to watch and follow the tri-series ↗
- PCB·October17 schedule and broadcast announcement ↗
- Sky Sports·Live coverage and fixture list ↗
- Willow·US television access ↗