Srі Lanka wіll face England іn the 2nd T20 match of the England tour of Srі Lanka 2026 at Pallekele Internatіonal Crіcket Stadіum, Pallekele, on Sunday, February 1. Thіs match іs scheduled to begіn at 7:00 PM IST (7:00 PM local tіme). Stay tuned wіth our SL vs ENG predіctіon, team prevіew, pіtch report, player stats and wіnner predіctіon ahead of thіs excіtіng match.
Sri Lanka is not having a good start in the T20 series. After losing the ODI series at home, they have had a disappointing start to this series as well, losing the first match of the series. Such performances definitely present new challenges for the Sri Lankan think tank ahead of the T20 World Cup.
On the other hand, after England’s excellent win in the ODI series, they have also started the T20 series with the same momentum. The series started on a bright note for England, securing a comfortable 11-run win in the first match. Now they will surely want to win the next match and seal the series as well.
Head-to-Head Record: Till now, a total of 15 T20 matches have been played between these two sides, in which England performed well and won 11 games, while Sri Lanka has won 4. Moreover, England also won all the last five head-to-head games against Sri Lanka.
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Sri Lanka Preview
Sri Lanka’s performance was very disappointing in the last match. They were all out for just 133 runs while batting first and lost the game by 11 runs (DLS Method). They will definitely want to make a comeback in the second match, as another defeat will force them to lose the series.
Sri Lanka’s batting performance was also not well in the last match. However, Pratham Nissanka tried to give the host a good start by scoring 23 runs in 20 balls. Apart from him, Kusal Mendis played a good innings of 37 runs in 20 balls. But no one from the other end was able to support him. Sri Lanka definitely needs improvement in its batting line-up.
Sri Lanka’s bowling was also not very good as they needed to take early wickets. But they failed to do so. For them, Eshan Malinga took two wickets for 24 runs in two overs. Apart from him, Maheesh Theekshana and Dasun Shanaka took one wicket each.
Tip
| Player | Tip | Odds |
|---|---|---|
| Kusal Mendis | Over 24.5 Runs | 1.85 |
Kusal Mendis was Sri Lanka’s best batter in the last match, scoring 37 off just 20 balls. With the team under pressure, he remains their key run scorer and is well placed to cross this mark again.
England Preview
England started the T20 series on a winning note as they easily defeated Sri Lanka by 11 runs in the last game. Now, they will definitely want to continue their winning streak in the next game as well. Their consistent performance is definitely putting them on the list of favourites for the upcoming T20 World Cup.
In batting, England got a good start from Phil Salt as they were chasing a target of 134. Salt scored 40 runs with a strike rate of over 131. While, Tom Banton also played a good innings of 29 runs in 15 balls. Both batters were definitely helpful for the team to get an easy win in the last game.
In bowling, Adil Rashid performed well in the last game. He took three wickets for 19 runs in four overs. Apart from him, Sam Curran also bowls well and took three wickets in three overs. Moreover, Jamie Overton and Liam Dawson also took two wickets each. England surely wants to continue the same performance in the next match.
Tip
| Player | Tip | Odds |
|---|---|---|
| Phil Salt | Over 26.5 Runs | 1.85 |
Phil Salt gave England a solid start with 40 runs in the previous game. His aggressive intent at the top of the order makes him a strong pick to cross this line again.
SL vs ENG Probably Playing XI
Sri Lanka: Pathum Nissanka, Kamil Mishara, Kusal Mendis (WK), Charith Asalanka, Dhananjaya de Silva, Janith Liyanage, Dasun Shanaka (C), Wanindu Hasaranga, Maheesh Theekshana, Matheesha Pathirana, Eshan Malinga.
England: Phil Salt, Jos Buttler (WK), Jacob Bethell, Tom Banton, Harry Brook (C), Sam Curran, Will Jacks, Jamie Overton, Liam Dawson, Adil Rashid, Jofra Archer.
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SL vs ENG Pitch Report
The pitch at Pallekele International Cricket Stadium, Pallekele, offers a batting-friendly surface. This surface provides a good bounce and pace, helpful for batters to score freely in the power-play. However, in the last match, the dominance of the bowlers was seen. Spinners bowled well in the first innings, whereas in the second innings, the impact of fast bowlers was seen more. Although batting seemed difficult in the beginning, as the match progressed, the batters were seen getting good help from the surface.
The weather on Sunday at Pallekele International Cricket Stadium is expected to be mostly cloudy, around 24°C, with a 10% chance of rain, high 77% humidity and light winds near 8 km/h.
Venue T20I Statistics
| Stats | Details |
|---|---|
| Total Matches | 28 |
| Matches won batting first | 14 |
| Matches won bowling first | 11 |
| Average 1st innings Score | 166 |
| Average 2nd innings Score | 146 |
| Highest total recorded | 263/3 (20 Ovs) – AUS vs SL |
| Lowest total recorded | 88/10 (16 Ovs) – NZ vs SL |
| Highest score chased | 178/2 (18.4 Ovs) – PAK vs BAN |
| Lowest score defended | 133/10 (16.2 Ovs) – SL vs ENG |
SL vs ENG Prediction
England’s performance has been consistently excellent on the tour of Sri Lanka. Firstly, they performed brilliantly in the ODI series, after which they tried to repeat the same performance in the T20 series. Looking at England’s impressive performance, it seems that they will be the favourites to win the second match as well.
Sri Lanka not doing well in batting and bowling. This will not a good thing for them before the upcoming T20 World Cup. They are not able to perform well even in their home conditions. Sri Lanka will have to use its players correctly in the match and focus on their strategy. Only then can they give a tough challenge to England in this match.
Our Prediction: England
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