Sri Lanka face England at the T20 World Cup on Sunday. Read our in-depth preview here…
England will be hoping that familiarity breeds success when they take on co-hosts Sri Lanka in the Super Eight opener 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 it. Their group stage was unconvincing – they scraped past Nepal, lost to West Indies, and needed wins over Scotland and Italy to squeeze through in second place. There is a feeling that Harry Brook’s side have more to give, and the Super Eight is where they need to start delivering.
Sri Lanka, by contrast, breezed through their group with three wins from four, the most eye-catching of which was an eight-wicket dismantling of Australia, anchored by a superb century from Pathum Nissanka. A dead-rubber loss to Zimbabwe in their final group game will have taken the shine off slightly, but the co-hosts arrive in buoyant mood and with home advantage firmly on their side.
Pallekele is a more batting-friendly surface than the Colombo tracks, with pace and carry for the quicker bowlers early on – a different challenge to the spin-friendly conditions England might have expected. Jacks and Jacob Bethell, England’s top scorer in the group phase with 143 runs, will need to adapt quickly.
Team news for Sri Lanka v England
England are expected to name an unchanged side. Jos Buttler has averaged just 13.25 so far and will be eager to make an impact, while Bethell continues to look England’s most fluent batter. Jofra Archer provides the pace threat.
Sri Lanka are without their strike weapon Matheesha Pathirana, who was ruled out of the tournament before the Zimbabwe defeat. Dilshan Madushanka, who replaced him in the squad and bowled tidily against Zimbabwe, is expected to keep his place. Maheesh Theekshana and Dunith Wellalage give Dasun Shanaka’s side genuine spin firepower.
Predicted teams for Sri Lanka v England
Sri Lanka: Pathum Nissanka, Kusal Perera, Kusal Mendis (wk), 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 v England
Sri Lanka versus England starts at 9.30am on Sunday morning 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 of your local rights holder.
Prediction for Sri Lanka v England
Sri Lanka have the home advantage and the momentum, and Nissanka is in the form of his life. But England have won here recently and have the firepower to exploit a Pathirana-less attack. We give England the slight edge, but Sri Lanka on their own patch could spring a surprise.
