ENG vs SL Preview: England and Sri Lanka Look to Bounce Back in Rawalpindi

England and Sri Lanka meet in the third match of the 2026 Pakistan ODI tri-series at Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium on Thursday. Both sides are coming off defeats against Pakistan and need a response to keep their hopes of reaching the final on track.

ENG vs SL Key Match Details

• Match: England vs Sri Lanka, 3rd ODI of the Tri-Nation Series
• Venue: Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium, Rawalpindi
• Date: Thursday, October 22, 2026 (1:00 PM PKT)
• Tournament: Pakistan Men's ODI Tri-Nation Series 2026
• England's Previous Result: Lost to Pakistan by 87 runs
• Sri Lanka's Previous Result: Lost to Pakistan by 37 runs

England vs Sri Lanka Preview

The ENG vs SL encounter offers both teams an opportunity to recover from disappointing tournament starts. England suffered an 87-run defeat after a middle-order collapse against Pakistan, while Sri Lanka lost their opening fixture by 37 runs.

Harry Brook's England will look to address their struggles against spin, which proved costly in their previous outing. Sri Lanka, led by Kusal Mendis, must find greater consistency through the middle and lower order to avoid another defeat.

Pakistan have won both their opening matches and hold a strong position in the standings. With the tournament moving to Lahore for its remaining fixtures, Thursday's contest could prove important in determining which visiting team stays in contention.

ODI Tri-Series 2026 Points Table

Pakistan have made the strongest start to the competition, winning both of their opening matches. England and Sri Lanka, meanwhile, are yet to register a point.

Team	Played	Won	Lost	Points
Pakistan	2	2	0	4
Sri Lanka	1	0	1	0
England	1	0	1	0

ENG vs SL ODI Head-to-Heads (Last 5)

England have enjoyed the stronger recent record in the five meetings listed below, winning twice against Sri Lanka's two victories. One match ended without a result.

Date	Venue	Result
September 27, 2026	The Oval	England won by 223 runs
September 24, 2026	Chester-le-Street	Sri Lanka won by 16 runs
September 22, 2026	Nottingham	England won by 89 runs
October 26, 2023	Bengaluru	Sri Lanka won by 8 wickets
July 4, 2021	Bristol	No result

ENG vs SL Key Player Battles to Watch

Harry Brook vs Sachindu Colombage

Brook remains central to England's batting plans. His ability to attack spin makes him dangerous, but he will need to choose his scoring options carefully against Colombage. The Sri Lankan spinner could play a significant role if the pitch offers grip and turn.

Kusal Mendis vs Gus Atkinson

Mendis will be expected to anchor Sri Lanka's innings and provide stability at the top. Atkinson's pace and ability to generate bounce could test the Sri Lankan captain, particularly during the early overs. Winning this contest could help England put pressure on Sri Lanka's batting order.

England vs Sri Lanka Predicted Playing XIs

England (Probable XI)

Phil Salt, Ben Duckett, Will Jacks, Joe Root, Harry Brook (c), Tom Banton (wk), Sam Curran, Liam Dawson, Gus Atkinson, Adil Rashid, Josh Tongue / Sonny Baker.

Sri Lanka (Probable XI)

Avishka Fernando, Kamindu Mendis, Kusal Mendis (c/wk), Pavan Rathnayake, Dunith Wellalage, Janith Liyanage, Dasun Shanaka, Sachindu Colombage, Maheesh Theekshana, Asitha Fernando, Dilshan Madushanka.

Watch ENG vs SL ODI Tri-Series Live on tapmad

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