This will be the last One Day International between Sri Lanka and England (SL vs ENG) before the ICC T20 World Cup 2026, and the series hangs in the balance with a 1-1 scoreline, as both the teams have won one match each so far in the 3-match competition. Ahead of the 2026 World Cup, both the teams will try their best to end the series on a positive note, which will help boost the confidence of the players.
England started the series with a surprising defeat. Sri Lanka won the first ODI by 19 runs by scoring 271 runs for 6 wickets in the first innings. In the next game, the hosts managed to score only 219 runs, leading to a crushing defeat against the visitors. England won the second ODI by 5 wickets and 22 balls remaining. The team that wins the third match will also capture the ODI series.
This article provides a detailed preview of SL vs ENG 3rd ODI, including free live streaming details, pitch and weather report, head-to-head records and key stats.
Sri Lanka vs England 3rd ODI Preview:
Date and Place:
Colombo’s R. Premadasa Stadium will host the third and final match of the series between Sri Lanka and England on Tuesday, January 25.
Sri Lanka vs England Teams:
Sri Lanka team: Pathum Nissanka, Kamil Mishara, Kusal Mendis (wk), Dhananjay de Silva, Charith Asalanka (captain), Kamindu Mendis, Zenith Liyange, Wanindu Hasaranga, Mahesh Theekshana, Ishan Malinga, Asitha Fernando, Jeffrey Vandersay, Pramod Madushan, Dunith Welles, Pawan Rathnayake, Milan Priyanatha Rathnayake and Sadira Samarawickrama.
England squad: Zak Crawley, Ben Duckett, Joe Root, Jacob Bethel, Harry Brook (captain), Jos Buttler (wk), Will Jacks, Sam Curran, Jamie Overton, Liam Dawson, Adil Rashid, Luke Wood, Brydon Carse, Tom Banton, Rehan Ahmed.
SL vs England Probable XI:
England’s playing eleven: Tom Banton, Ben Duckett, Joe Root, Jacob Bethel, Harry Brook (captain), Jos Buttler (wicketkeeper), Rehan Ahmed, Sam Curran, Jamie Overton, Liam Dawson, Adil Rashid.
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.
Sri Lanka vs England 3rd ODI Key Matches:
Dhananjay De Silva vs Ben Duckett:
The opening pair of the England cricket team is in a bit of a shaky position. Although Ben Duckett is performing well in the series. The opening batsman has scored 62 and 39 runs in the first and second matches respectively. For the home team, it was Dhananjay de Silva, who looked promising with both ball and bat. If this all-rounder finds his rhythm at the right time, he can cause serious damage to the England batting team. Silva can be the trump card for the host team in the third ODI.
Joe Root vs Asitha Fernando:
If we consider Dhananjay de Silva as the trump card for the Sri Lankan cricket team, then it is Joe Root who can change the momentum of the third match for England at any time, under any circumstances. If the Colombo surface is a little slow, it can severely test the batsman’s patience and technique. Since Root mainly relies on his skills and calm mindset, he can do the needful. Asitha Fernando, on the other hand, has emerged as one of the most consistent bowlers for the team. He had also taken wickets in the last two matches.
Charit Asalanka vs Adil Rashid:
Captain Charith Asalanka is one of the key members of the Sri Lankan batting line-up. The batsman can control the pace of the game, which makes him an important factor in the match. Since he comes to bat primarily as a middle-order batsman, he is likely to face experienced England spinner Adil Rashid. Rashid, who has 235 ODI wickets, has mastered the technique of breaking partnerships.
Zenith Liangz vs Sam Curran
Nowadays, limited overs matches are often decided by finishers. At the same time, Sri Lanka has its own finisher in the form of Zenith Liyanage. He can add some valuable runs as a lower order batsman. Same goes for Sam Curran. This England all-rounder is capable of playing big innings and can also take wickets with his seam bowling. England captain Harry Brook would love to see some explosive yorkers and cutters from Curran.
Key players of Sri Lanka vs England 3rd ODI:
Sri Lanka – Kusal Mendis, Pathum Nissanka, Wanindu Hasaranga, Mahesh Theekshana, Asitha Fernando.
England- Joe Root, Harry Brook, Ben Duckett, Jos Buttler, Sam Curran, Adil Rashid.
Sri Lanka vs England 3rd ODI – Free Live Streaming & Broadcast Details
TV broadcasting in India: SL vs ENG 3rd ODI will be telecast live on Sony Sports Network across India.
Online Live Streaming in India: Fans who want to watch the match via online platforms should keep an eye on SonyLIV and FanCode apps and websites. An active subscription may be required.
Match date: The second ODI match will be played on Saturday 24 January.
venue: R Premadasa Stadium in Colombo will host the SL vs ENG third match.
How to watch on television: If you want to watch the match on TV screen then you have to turn on Sony Sports Network channel for live telecast.
How to watch online on mobile and web: The live streaming will be available on mobile devices and web browsers through SonyLIV and FanCode platforms.
SL vs ENG: Weather report in Colombo:
On the day of the match, the weather in Colombo could be wet, as heavy thunderstorms along with heavy amounts of rain are expected during the early hours of the match. The weather is expected to improve before the match. But the stadium may remain cloudy.
R. Sri Lanka vs England pitch report at Premadasa Stadium:
The pitch at R Premadasa Stadium is expected to be slow, which may make the job of the batsmen difficult. Due to the pitch, the toss can also play an important role in deciding the winner of the match. Due to inclement weather, fast bowlers may bowl some fiery overs in the early stages of the match.
SL vs England Head-to-Head Records
|
statistics |
Matchbox |
won sl |
England won |
Drag |
Tied up |
N.R. |
|
overall |
81 |
38 |
39 |
0 |
1 |
3 |
|
in sri lanka |
27 |
17 |
9 |
0 |
0 |
1 |
|
last 5 odi |
5 |
2 |
2 |
0 |
0 |
1 |
SL vs ENG head-to-head record: key stats
After playing the second match of the series, these two teams faced each other 81 times in this format. England have a slight advantage over Sri Lanka, as they have claimed victory 39 times, while Sri Lanka have emerged victorious on 38 occasions.
Like the overall stats, the all-time ODI stats between Sri Lanka and England also look almost similar, as on the last 5 occasions, both the teams have claimed 2 wins each and one resulted in a no result.
Sri Lanka has a huge advantage at the R Premadasa Stadium. The teams have faced each other 12 times there, in which Sri Lanka has won 10 matches and England has won only two matches.
SL vs ENG Head-to-Head Records: Last 5 Matches
If we talk about the last five matches between these two teams, both have registered equal wins against each other. Both Sri Lanka and England have won twice each in their last 5 matches, while one match ended in a no result.
Sri Lanka vs England head-to-head records – results of last 5 matches:
- England won by 5 wickets in Colombo on January 24, 2026.
- Sri Lanka won by 19 runs on 22 January 2026 in Colombo.
- Sri Lanka won by 8 wickets in Bengaluru on 26 October 2023.
- No results in Bristol on 4 July 2021
- England won by 8 wickets at The Oval on 1 July 2021.
Sri Lanka vs England 2nd ODI – Conclusion:
The toss, the weather and the nature of the pitch – all these factors can make the contest more entertaining for cricket fans. It will be interesting to see how the weather is in the morning. Weather can also affect the patch in the later hours of the day. Generally, the Colombo deck is known for its spin-friendly nature and slow pace. This was not one of those grounds where the batsmen enjoyed good pace on the pitch.
There is no doubt that the match is going to be very exciting, because a total of 22 players will try their best to win. Being the home team, Sri Lanka has good knowledge of the field, but recent statistics do not suggest so. According to statistics, both the teams have won the same number of wins in recent times and overall.
Read more: Sri Lanka Playing XI vs England Playing XI – 3rd ODI, England tour of Sri Lanka 2026
