England stumbled out of the gate in their winter ODI schedule, losing to Pakistan in the opening match of the tri-series in Rawalpindi. The performance was messy, with England's batters and bowlers both failing to execute when it mattered.
This loss marks a rough start to what figures to be a demanding stretch of cricket for the squad. The team headed into the series off the back of recent matches, and they'll need to tighten up quickly if they hope to salvage the tournament. Pakistan's bowling attack exploited England's weaknesses, and the hosts looked sharp in the field.
England has faced similar starts before, and these tri-series events rarely turn on a single game. But losing at the venue where you're supposed to be building rhythm is never ideal. The squad now faces pressure to respond in their next fixture. Ben Stokes' side knows what's at stake in these winter tournaments, and they'll be hunting for a much cleaner performance when they return.