Sri Lanka on 27 January at Colombo’s R. Will take on England for the 3rd ODI (SL vs England 3rd ODI) of the ongoing 3-match ODI series at the Premadasa Stadium. So far, both the teams have claimed one win each, which makes the last match of the competition before the ICC T20 World Cup very important.
The upcoming edition of T20 World Cup 2026 will be jointly hosted by India and Sri Lanka. Being the hosts, Sri Lanka will have the advantage of playing on home ground in subcontinental conditions. Sri Lanka emerged as the better team over England in the opening match of the ODI series. But the visiting team made its intentions clear by winning the next match.
This article takes a look at the probable playing XI for Sri Lanka and England, possible team combinations and key players to keep an eye on in the 3rd ODI.
Sri Lanka Playing XI vs England – 3rd ODI
If Sri Lanka has to perform positively in the upcoming T20 World Cup 2026, then it will have to maintain its batting performance. He batted well in the first ODI and scored 271 runs in 50 overs. In the next match, their batting order collapsed. With all ten wickets in hand, they scored a modest score of 219 runs, which England successfully chased down and won the match by 5 wickets.
Openers: Pathum Nissanka, Kamil Mishara
It is noteworthy that the Sri Lankan cricket team currently has very limited resources. They need to continue to rely on their current setup, giving the batsmen more match time to build their confidence. Despite the batting failure in the second match, the opening pair of Pathum Nissanka and Kamil Mishra are likely to continue in the last ODI before the T20 World Cup 2026.
Middle-order and all-rounders: Kusal Mendis, Dhananjay de Silva, Sadira Samarawickrama, Charith Asalanka (captain), Zenith Liyange, Wanindu Hasaranga.
The Sri Lanka cricket team has some serious talent. Proven talents like Kusal Mendis, Dhananjay de Silva and Charith Asalanka are some of the key figures in the team.
To strengthen the eleven on paper, Wanindu Hasaranga can be included in the final eleven. Hasaranga could prove to be the last piece of the puzzle for the Sri Lankan cricket team. But all eyes will be on Mendis as he has already scored over 4,800 runs for the team with over 40 fifties.
Bowlers: Mahesh Theekshana, Asitha Fernando, Jeffrey Vandersay
Sri Lanka may include Mahesh Theekshana in place of Pramod Madushan for the third ODI vs England. With proven talents like Silva, Fernando and Theekshana, they could form a dominant force on home soil. If Hasaranga joins hands, Sri Lanka’s bowling line-up will also have enough firepower.
Sri Lanka Playing XI: Pathum Nissanka, Kusal Mendis (wk), Kamil Mishara, Dhananjay de Silva, Sadira Samarawickrama, Charith Asalanka (c), Zenith Liyange, Wanindu Hasaranga, Mahish Theekshana, Asitha Fernando and Mahish Theekshana.
England Playing XI vs Sri Lanka – 3rd ODI
England may show their intention to create a good playing combination for the ODI match. In recent times he has also experienced some ups and downs. The defeat against Sri Lanka in the first ODI is a perfect example of the uncertainty in his batting performance.
Openers: Ben Duckett, Tom Banton
For the two matches, England had tested two different opening pairs, and neither of them worked as per their plan. Ben Duckett has scored a few runs in the series so far. Tom Banton can be his suitable opening partner for this match. In the first match, Duckett scored 62 runs on 76 balls.
Middle-order batsmen and all-rounders: Joe Root, Harry Brook (captain), Jos Buttler (wicketkeeper), Jacob Bethel, Will Jacks, Sam Curran.
Unlike the volatile opening pair, the middle order of the England cricket team is very small on paper. He is a key player in the line-up of the English team captained by Harry Brook. While Root can provide support with his calmness, other batsmen will never shy away from being ferocious.
Bowlers: Jamie Overton, Adil Rashid, Liam Dawson
England’s bowling line-up went through a period of change due to repeated injuries and the retirement of several key bowlers. If we consider the middle order as the main strength of England, then their bowling department still has a lot to prove. 37 year old Adil Rashid will have the responsibility of leading the emerging bowlers. In subcontinent conditions, the experienced spinner with 240 ODI wickets will be the team’s key bowler in the SL vs ENG third match.
England’s playing XI: Ben Duckett, Tom Banton, Joe Root, Harry Brook (captain), Jos Buttler (wicketkeeper), Jacob Bethel, Will Jacques, Sam Curran, Jamie Overton, Liam Dawson, Adil Rashid.
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