England will square off against Sri Lanka in the first ODI match of the England tour of Sri Lanka 2026, scheduled to be played on Thursday, 22nd January at 2:30 PM IST. The match will take place at the R.Premadasa Stadium in Colombo. Check out the best Dream11 team tips, player stats, pitch report, top fantasy picks and dream11 prediction team for today’s SL vs ENG clash.
Match Preview
Sri Lanka are set to host England for a three-match ODI series starting on Thursday. The hosts have been in strong form in this format, having won three consecutive ODI series against Australia, Bangladesh, and Zimbabwe before suffering a setback in their most recent series against Pakistan. They will be keen to get back to winning ways on home soil.
Meanwhile, England will be looking to correct their course in the 50-over format after losing their last two ODI series against South Africa and New Zealand. Both sides have announced well-balanced squads, and with spin expected to play a key role in Asian conditions, England will rely heavily on the experience of Liam Dawson and Adil Rashid. Sri Lanka, on the other hand, boast a strong spin attack featuring Wanindu Hasaranga, Maheesh Theekshana, and Dunith Wellalage.
Wanindu Hasaranga, who has been outstanding in this format and enjoys the advantage of home conditions, stands out as a top choice for the captaincy role with 1,126 runs and 111 wickets to his name in ODIs. Joe Root, with his vast experience, 7,330 ODI runs, and ability to contribute with the ball, shapes up as a strong option for the vice-captaincy role.
R.Premadasa Stadium, Colombo Pitch Report
*The stats are based on the ODI matches played at R. Premadasa Stadium.
| Pitch type – Generally balanced / batter-friendly |
| Batting 1st Won – 102 matches |
| Batting 2nd Won – 70 matches |
| Average 1st innings score – 230 runs |
SL vs ENG Probable Playing XI
Sri Lanka: Pathum Nissanka, Kusal Mendis, Charith Asalanka (c), Kamil Mishara, Janith Liyanage, Kamindu Mendis, Dhananjaya De Silva, Wanindu Hasaranga, Maheesh Theekshana, Dunith Wellalage, Eshan Malinga
England: Zak Crawley, Ben Duckett, Joe Root, Jacob Bethell, Harry Brook (c), Jos Buttler (wk), Will Jacks, Sam Curran, Jamie Overton, Liam Dawson, Adil Rashid
SL vs ENG Dream11 Player Stats
| Player Name | ODI Stats |
|---|---|
| Pathum Nissanka | 2823 runs |
| Joe Root | 7330 runs & 28 wickets |
| Harry Brook | 1170 runs |
| Sam Curran | 637 runs & 35 wickets |
| Jos Buttler | 5463 runs |
| Wanindu Hasaranga | 1126 runs & 111 wickets |
SL vs ENG Dream11 Team
