The England cricket team has formally confirmed their upcoming white-ball series against Sri Lanka, which is considered crucial in their preparations for the ICC T20 World Cup 2026. The tour will begin with an ODI series, with the first match to be played on January 22, 2026.
ENG vs SL Series 2026: The England cricket team has confirmed their tour of Sri Lanka to strengthen their preparations for the upcoming ICC T20 World Cup 2026. During this tour, England and Sri Lanka will play ODI and T20 International series. As per the official schedule, the three-match ODI series will begin on January 22, 2026, and conclude on January 27.
Following this, the two teams will play a three-match T20I series, which will conclude on February 3, 2026. This tour is considered extremely important for the England team, as playing in Asian conditions will give them valuable experience before the World Cup.
ODI Series Schedule
- First ODI: January 22, 2026
- Second ODI: January 24, 2026
- Third ODI: January 27, 2026
T20 Series Schedule
- First T20I: January 30, 2026
- Second T20I: February 1, 2026
- Third T20I: February 3, 2026
Important Tour for T20 World Cup 2026 Preparation
This tour of Sri Lanka is a crucial part of the England cricket team's strategy. England has won the T20 World Cup title twice (2009 and 2022) and will now try to capture the trophy for the third time. In such a situation, the experience of playing in Asian conditions, especially according to the pitches and weather of Sri Lanka, will give them a big advantage.
Notably, the 2026 ICC T20 World Cup will be jointly hosted in Asia and America. Because of this, the English team wants to test their preparations in Asian conditions.
England's White-Ball Tour of Sri Lanka After Seven Years
This will be England's first white-ball tour of Sri Lanka in seven years. England last toured Sri Lanka in 2018, where they won the ODI series 3-1 and also won the only T20 match. The last T20I match between the two teams was in the T20 World Cup 2022. In that match, England defeated Sri Lanka by 4 wickets. After that, England also won the trophy in the same year.
Sri Lanka will play their next T20 series against Zimbabwe, starting on September 6, 2025. Meanwhile, the England team will be busy with a home T20 series against South Africa from September 10, 2025. After these series, both teams will directly clash in the 2026 Sri Lanka tour.
