Sri Lanka vs England – Preview, where to watch, team news and predictions
Sri Lanka will face England on Sunday in the T20 World Cup. Read our detailed overview here…
England will hope familiarity breeds success when they take on co-hosts Sri Lanka in the first Super Eight match for Group 2 on Sunday at Pallekele, a ground they know well from a recent T20 series on these shores.
Will Jacks has already spoken of the confidence that recent experience brings, and England will need that. Their group stage was not convincing: they beat Nepal, lost to West Indiesand needed wins against Scotland and Italy to sneak into second place. There is a feeling that Harry Brook's side have more to give, and it is in the Super Eight that they must start to do so.
Sri Lanka, on the other hand, prevailed in their group with three wins from four, the most striking of which was an eight-wicket dismantling of Australia, anchored by a superb century from Pathum Nissanka. An unbeaten defeat to Zimbabwe in their final group match will have dulled the shine slightly, but the co-hosts arrive in high spirits and with home advantage on their side.
Pallekele is a more batter-friendly surface than the Colombo tracks, with pace and range for the quicker bowlers from the start – a different challenge to the spin-friendly conditions England might have expected. Jacks and Jacob Bethell, England's top scorer in the group stage with 143 runs, will have to adapt quickly.
Team news for Sri Lanka vs England
England are expected to name an unchanged squad. Jos Buttler averages just 13.25 so far and will be eager to make an impact, while Bethell continues to look like England's smoothest batter. Jofra Archer poses the pace threat.
Sri Lanka are without their striker Matheesha Pathirana, who was ruled out of the tournament before Zimbabwe's defeat. Dilshan Madushanka, who replaced him in the team and performed well against Zimbabwe, is expected to retain his place. Maheesh Theekshana and Dunith Wellalage give Dasun Shanaka's team some real firepower.
Predicted squads for Sri Lanka vs England
Sri Lanka: Pathum Nissanka, Kusal Perera, Kusal Mendis (week), Pavan Rathnayake, Dasun Shanaka (c), Kamindu Mendis, Dunith Wellalage, Dushan Hemantha, Maheesh Theekshana, Dilshan Madushanka, Pramod Madushan
England: Philip Salt, Jos Buttler (wk), Jacob Bethell, Tom Banton, Harry Brook (c), Sam Curran, Will Jacks, Jamie Overton, Liam Dawson, Jofra Archer, Adil Rashid
Where to watch Sri Lanka vs England
Sri Lanka vs England begins on Sunday morning at 9:30am for UK viewers. The T20 World Cup will be shown exclusively live in the UK on Sky Sports. You can stream it on the Sky Go app. For coverage elsewhere in the world, click HERE for details about your local rights holder.
Prediction for Sri Lanka vs England
Sri Lanka have the home advantage and momentum, and Nissanka is in the form of her life. But England won here recently and have the firepower to exploit an attack without Pathirana. We give England a slight advantage, but Sri Lanka, on their own ground, could spring a surprise.
2026-02-21 09:43:00
