Lahore: England's performance in the recent tri-series in Pakistan, which ended with a victory over Sri Lanka after three consecutive losses, is seen as a valuable learning opportunity by Brendon McCullum, the team's white-ball coach. Despite not reaching the final, McCullum believes the campaign will aid in their preparation for the ICC Men's Cricket World Cup next year.

According to International Cricket Council, McCullum expressed satisfaction with the team's resilience, particularly praising captain Harry Brook for his leadership under pressure. McCullum highlighted Brook’s tactical acumen during the match against Sri Lanka, where England defended a total of 387, despite Sri Lanka’s strong position at 300/5 after 40 overs. Key performances came from Liam Dawson, who took 4/49, and contributions from Sam Curran and Henry Crocombe in the final overs.

McCullum acknowledged the importance of these experiences, stating, "We want to be a team that can challenge seriously for that World Cup in 12 months' time, and we know we need to get better, but we will, and I'm sure we'll learn from these lessons." He also emphasized the growth of Brook as a captain, describing him as one of the finest tactical captains he has encountered.

Brook's performance included a career-best 202 against Sri Lanka, and other notable performances in the series came from Ben Duckett and Tom Banton. Dawson's left-arm spin was particularly effective, leading to his selection over senior spinner Adil Rashid in the final matches.

Looking ahead, McCullum stressed the need for adaptability in team selections. England is set to continue their preparations in Australia, with a warm-up fixture and three ODIs starting on November 13.