Sri Lanka Tour of England 2026: Schedule, Squads and Series Preview
Published on September 15, 2026
Summary Overview: Sri Lanka tour of England 2026: full T20I and ODI schedule in local, IST and ET, both squads, and the key storylines from the six-match white-ball tour.
Six Matches, Two Formats: Everything About Sri Lanka's 2026 Tour of England
What does the tour involve?
Six white-ball matches: three T20Is (September 15 to 19) followed by three ODIs (September 22 to 27), across six English grounds.
Who is captaining the sides?
Harry Brook leads England in both formats. Sri Lanka are captained by Charith Asalanka in the T20Is and by Kusal Mendis in the ODIs.
Who are the favourites?
England, comfortably. They have dominated this rivalry recently, and Sri Lanka arrive off two heavy warm-up defeats to the England Lions.
The Story: A White-Ball Send-Off to the English Summer
The English season signs off with a busy white-ball tour as Sri Lanka visit for three T20Is and three ODIs. Spread across six grounds from Southampton to The Oval, it is a compact, high-tempo end to the summer and useful preparation for both sides with future world events on the horizon.
A quick note for newcomers: a T20I is the 20-overs-per-side sprint format, while an ODI gives each team 50 overs. Playing both back to back tests a team's depth and adaptability.
England: Brook in Charge and in Form
England are led in both formats by Harry Brook, their white-ball captain, and he arrives in scorching touch, having plundered 229 runs across his last four T20I innings. Spin king Adil Rashid, the most prolific spinner from a top nation in 2026, gives the attack real bite.
The hosts are missing a few names through injury, with Phil Salt, Sam Curran and the rehabbing Jacob Bethell all unavailable. That has opened the door for fresh faces. Batter Aneurin Donald earned a maiden T20I call-up on the back of strong domestic form, and uncapped seamer Henry Crocombe was named in the ODI squad. Veteran Joe Root and leg-spinner Rehan Ahmed come into the ODI group, while Jamie Overton returns to the setup.
Sri Lanka: A Tale of Two Captains
Sri Lanka's leadership changes between formats. Regular skipper Kusal Mendis was ruled out of the T20Is with a hamstring injury, so Charith Asalanka takes charge for that leg. Mendis then returns to lead the ODI side, with Asalanka as his deputy.
The tourists' danger lies mostly in their spin and their experience. Wanindu Hasaranga, Maheesh Theekshana and Dunith Wellalage form a varied slow-bowling unit, while Pathum Nissanka anchors the top order. Dasun Shanaka was recalled for the ODIs to add lower-order power and all-round balance.
The Form Guide Favours England
History is firmly on England's side in the shorter format. They have won 14 of the 18 T20Is between the teams, and are on a five-match winning streak against Sri Lanka, a run that includes a victory at the 2026 T20 World Cup and a clean sweep of a bilateral series earlier in the year.
Sri Lanka's build-up did not help their cause either, as they slipped to two heavy nine-wicket defeats against the England Lions in warm-up games. They will need to raise their level sharply to compete.
Players to Watch
Harry Brook (England): The in-form captain who can dismantle any attack when set.
Adil Rashid (England): A world-class wrist-spinner with an outstanding record against Sri Lanka.
Wanindu Hasaranga (Sri Lanka): A genuine match-winner with the ball and a useful lower-order hitter.
Pathum Nissanka (Sri Lanka): The top-order anchor Sri Lanka will lean on to post competitive totals.
Kusal Mendis (Sri Lanka): Back to lead in the ODIs, his form with the bat and gloves will be central.
Full Schedule (Local, IST and ET)
Local time is British Summer Time (BST, UTC+1). IST is India Standard Time (UTC+5:30) and ET is US Eastern Time (EDT, UTC-4). All start times fall on the same calendar date in each zone.
T20I Series
| Match | Date | Venue | Local (BST) | IST | ET |
| 1st T20I | Tue, Sep 15 | The Rose Bowl, Southampton | 6:30 PM | 11:00 PM | 1:30 PM |
| 2nd T20I | Thu, Sep 17 | Sophia Gardens, Cardiff | 6:30 PM | 11:00 PM | 1:30 PM |
| 3rd T20I | Sat, Sep 19 | Emirates Old Trafford, Manchester | 2:30 PM | 7:00 PM | 9:30 AM |
ODI Series
| Match | Date | Venue | Local (BST) | IST | ET |
| 1st ODI | Tue, Sep 22 | Riverside Ground, Chester-le-Street | 12:30 PM | 5:00 PM | 7:30 AM |
| 2nd ODI | Thu, Sep 24 | Headingley, Leeds | 12:30 PM | 5:00 PM | 7:30 AM |
| 3rd ODI | Sun, Sep 27 | Kennington Oval, London | 10:30 AM | 3:00 PM | 5:30 AM |
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The Full Squads
England
| Format | Squad |
| T20I | Harry Brook (c), Jofra Archer, Gus Atkinson, Sonny Baker, Tom Banton, Jos Buttler, James Coles, Jordan Cox, Liam Dawson, Aneurin Donald, Ben Duckett, Will Jacks, Saqib Mahmood, Jamie Overton, Adil Rashid, Josh Tongue |
| ODI | Harry Brook (c), Rehan Ahmed, Jofra Archer, Gus Atkinson, Tom Banton, Sonny Baker, Jos Buttler, Jordan Cox, Henry Crocombe, Liam Dawson, Ben Duckett, Will Jacks, Jamie Overton, Adil Rashid, Joe Root, Josh Tongue |
Sri Lanka
| Format | Squad |
| T20I | Charith Asalanka (c), Pathum Nissanka, Kamil Mishara (wk), Kamindu Mendis, Janith Liyanage, Dasun Shanaka, Tharindu Rathnayake, Wanindu Hasaranga, Maheesh Theekshana, Dushmantha Chameera, Eshan Malinga, Dunith Wellalage, Dilshan Madushanka, Pavan Rathnayake, Lahiru Udara, Nuwan Thushara |
| ODI | Kusal Mendis (c, wk), Charith Asalanka (vc), Pathum Nissanka, Kamindu Mendis, Kamil Mishara (wk), Janith Liyanage, Pavan Rathnayake, Dasun Shanaka, Wanindu Hasaranga, Maheesh Theekshana, Dunith Wellalage, Dushmantha Chameera, Asitha Fernando, Dilshan Madushanka, Eshan Malinga, Sachindu Colombage |
Frequently Asked Questions
How many matches are in the tour?
Six in total: three T20Is from September 15 to 19, then three ODIs from September 22 to 27.
Who captains Sri Lanka?
Charith Asalanka leads in the T20Is because Kusal Mendis is injured, and Mendis returns to captain the ODIs.
Which uncapped players got called up by England?
Aneurin Donald earned a maiden T20I call-up, and seamer Henry Crocombe was named in the ODI squad.
What is England's recent record against Sri Lanka in T20Is?
Very strong. England have won their last five T20Is against Sri Lanka and 14 of the 18 all-time meetings.
Where is the final match?
The third ODI, and the tour finale, is at the Kennington Oval in London on September 27.
Related Guides and Series Coverage
📋 Sri Lanka Tour of England 2026 Full Results and Scorecards