England have started their T20I campaign in Sri Lanka with an impressive win in the first game. Currently, Sri Lanka is hosting England for the SL vs ENG three-match T20I series, which marks the final preparation series before the ICC T20 World Cup, which will be co-hosted by India and Sri Lanka.
England started the ODI series by winning 2-1 and they also made a winning start to the T20 series in Pallekele. The Harry Brook-led side is one of the strongest teams in the ICC T20 World Cup, with the captain leading from the front. For the T20 World Cup, Sri Lanka has been placed in the same group with teams like Australia, Ireland, Oman and Zimbabwe.
This article contains a detailed preview of SL vs ENG 2nd T20I, including head-to-head record, their probable playing XI, pitch report and live streaming details of the second match of the series.
Sri Lanka vs England 2nd T20I Preview:
Match date: The second T20 match will be played on Sunday, February 1.
venue: This match will be held at Pallekele International Cricket Stadium
Time: The match is scheduled to start at 7:00 pm Indian time.
Sri Lanka vs England team
Sri Lanka team: Dasun Shanaka (captain), Pathum Nissanka, Kamil Mishara, Kusal Mendis, Kusal Zenith Perera, Charith Asalanka, Zenith Liyanage, Pawan Rathnayake, Wanindu Hasaranga, Dunith Vellaage, Mahesh Theekshana, Dushmantha Chameera, Dhananjay de Silva, Pramod Madushan, Mathisha Pathirana and Ishan Malinga.
England team: Harry Brook, Rehan Ahmed, Jofra Archer, Tom Banton, Jacob Bethel, Jos Buttler, Brydon Carse, Sam Curran, Liam Dawson, Ben Duckett, Will Jacks, Jamie Overton, Adil Rashid, Phil Salt, Josh Tong, Luke Wood.
SL vs England Probable XI:
Sri Lanka Playing XI: Pathum Nissanka, Kusal Mendis, Kamil Mishara, Dhananjay de Silva, Charith Asalanka, Zenith Liyange, Dasun Shanaka, Wanindu Hasaranga, Mahesh Theekshana, Ishan Malinga and Mathisha Pathirana.
England’s playing XI: Phil Salt, Jos Buttler, Jacob Bethel, Harry Brook, Will Jacks, Sam Curran, Tom Banton, Jamie Overton, Adil Rashid, Liam Dawson and Jofra Archer.
SL vs ENG 2nd T20I Key Battle
Phil Salt vs Mahesh Theekshana
English batsman Phil Salt is often cited as the most explosive batsman of the modern era. He will be a major threat to any opponent, while England will rely on Phil Salt, who has proven time and again how amazingly a player can exploit delivery restrictions in the powerplay.
Lankan spinner Mahesh Theekshana is known for bowling with the new ball in the powerplay. The Lankan batsman can only lead to Phil Salt’s struggles as he struggles against slow spin bowling. Salt often likes ball movement.
jos buttler vs ishan malinga
Jos Buttler is the most experienced player of the English team. The former captain does not lead the England team from the front, but is still the most reliable batsman in the playing eleven. Buttler had a stellar season in the recent SA20 season.
Sri Lankan fast bowler Ishan Malinga replaced Nuwan Thusara in the Sri Lankan playing eleven. Malinga will handle the new ball and bowl against the English wicketkeeper batsman in the powerplay.
Pathum Nissanka vs. Jamie Overton
Despite having enough depth in Sri Lanka’s attack, it lacks something in the batting department. Opening is an important role for them and Pathum Nissanka is the right man for the job. He has not been able to perform consistently for the Lankans, but whenever he performs well, the team is in the driver’s seat.
Jamie Overton has been one of England’s most influential stars, and he has been very effective with the ball. Overton had also taken 2 wickets in the last match, which helped England in destroying the Lankan innings. He was important for the Three Lions when they played against New Zealand before the Ashes.
Dasun Shanaka vs Adil Rashid
The newly appointed captain of the Sri Lankan team, Dasun Shanaka, is a powerful hitter in the lineup. Shanaka brings power-hitting ability within the team and will be important to add to the pace provided by batsmen moving up in the batting order.
Leg spinner Adil Rashid can pose a big challenge to the Sri Lankan captain. Rashid is a very clever spinner who does not depend on the condition of the pitch, but also reveals special things with his talent.
Sri Lanka vs England 2nd T20I Key Players:
England’s leading players: Phil Salt, Harry Brook, Sam Curran, Adil Rashid and Jamie Overton
Major players of Sri Lanka: Pathum Nissanka, Kusal Perera, Wanindu Hasaranga, Dasun Shanaka and Dushmantha Chameera
SL vs ENG 2nd T20I – Free Live Streaming & Telecast Details
TV broadcasting in India: The second T20 match between Sri Lanka and England will be telecast live on Sony Sports TEN network across India.
Online Live Streaming in India: Fans around the world can watch the match live on SonyLIV app and website. An active subscription will be required.
How to watch on television: Cricket fans can watch Sony Sports TEN Network channel for live telecast of ENG vs SL 2nd T20 match.
How to watch online on mobile and web: The live streaming will be done only through the SonyLIV platform, and cricket lovers can watch it from anywhere on their portable devices. FanCode will also have the facility of live streaming of the match.
Weather and pitch report of Sri Lanka vs England 2nd T20 match – Pallekele
SL vs ENG: Weather report in Pallekele
According to Accuweather, temperatures are expected to be moderate in the island nation. The wind speed is likely to be higher in the piece of land surrounded by the sea, which will make it easier for the fast bowlers to bowl with the lighter new ball.
However, the region is likely to remain cloudy with light drizzle possible during the afternoon. The temperature is likely to drop to 18 degrees at night.
SL vs ENG: Pallekele International Stadium pitch report
The pitch at Pallekele International Cricket Stadium is considered a batting paradise, as teams are given the facility to bat first. This is a high-scoring venue, and the average first innings total here has been around 175-180 runs.
The pitch is known as a balanced pitch, which does not always facilitate batting and hence, offers some help to the spinners. Square borders are shorter than straight borders.
SL vs England Head-to-Head Records
| statistics | Matchbox | won sl | England won | Drag | Tied up | N.R. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| overall | 15 | 4 | 11 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| in sri lanka | 3 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| last 5 t20i | 5 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
SL vs ENG head-to-head record: key stats
England and Sri Lanka do not meet often in the shortest format of the game; However, whenever they have met, it has been a close contest. England were the more dominant team, winning 11 times compared to Sri Lanka’s 4 wins.
The last time England and Sri Lanka met in the shortest format of the game was in the 2022 ICC T20 World Cup and on that occasion too, England won. Their winning streak against the co-hosts of the T20 World Cup 2026 has been going on for over 7 years.
SL vs ENG Head-to-Head Records: Last 5 Matches
If we talk about the last five matches, the English Lions are winning on every occasion. Be it the bilateral T20 format or the ICC tournaments played during this period, England have been dominant and the Lankans are still looking for their 5th win against this opponent.
Sri Lanka vs England head-to-head records—results of last 5 games
- England won by 6 wickets on January 30, 2026
- England won by 4 wickets on November 5, 2022
- England won by 26 runs on 1 November 2021
- England won by 89 runs on June 26, 2021
- England won by 5 wickets (DLS method) on June 24, 2021
Sri Lanka vs England 2nd T20 Match – Conclusion
SL vs ENG 2nd T20I will be important from any team’s point of view, and hence, the XIs of both the teams are set to face off for the second match in Pallekele. Sri Lanka needs many players to return to form before the World Cup competition.
Even England need their batsmen, who were part of the SA20 and BBL before reaching the ICC T20 World Cup and the Sri Lankan series, to get one last opportunity to acclimatise to the conditions here in Sri Lanka.
Also read: ICC vs World Cricket Association: Jay Shah-led body embroiled in fresh controversy ahead of T20 World Cup
