Sri Lanka vs England, 2nd T20I – England Tour of Sri Lanka 2026 The second T20I between Sri Lanka and England takes place today, February 1, 2026, at Pallekele International Cricket Stadium in Kandy. It’s scheduled for a 9:30 AM local start, which is 2:00 PM IST.
Pallekele’s pitch offers a balanced contest in T20Is, with an average first-innings score around 162-170; it starts aiding seamers with early moisture before spin dominates as the surface dries and grips. Weather looks warm and humid at about 24°C with high 80% humidity and only a slight rain threat, though thunderstorms could brew later—unlikely to cause major interruptions after yesterday’s soak.
England hold a 1-0 series lead after their rain-affected 11-run DLS win in the opener, where they reached 125 for 4 in 15 overs chasing a par score, thanks to Phil Salt’s 46. Sri Lanka need a strong response at home to level this three-match series ahead of T20 World Cup prep. England aim to seal it early, building momentum from their ODI series triumph on tour.
Sri Lanka struggled in the 1st T20I, folding for 133 in 16.2 overs despite Kusal Mendis’s 37; their bowlers fought back but rain ended it. England dominated with spinners like Adil Rashid (3-19) and Sam Curran shining, showing white-ball prowess despite prior scrutiny away from home. Sri Lanka have home edge but patchy recent T20 form; England carry confidence from the opener.
SL vs ENG Match Details
- Match: 2ND T20 Match
- Teams: Sri Lanka vs England 2nd T20
- Date: 01 feb 2026
- Time: 6:30 PM, 1:30 PM GMT / 7:00 PM LOCAL
- Venue: Pallekele International Cricket Stadium, Pallekele
SL vs ENG Live Streaming Info
Catch the Sri Lanka vs England 1st ODI live from various broadcasters depending on your location, with coverage starting around 2:30 PM IST.
- In India, tune into Sony Sports Network (Sony Sports 1, Sony Sports 5) or stream on Sony LIV and FanCode.
- Pakistan viewers can watch on PTV Sports, A Sports, or Ten Sports, with streaming available on Tapmad and Tamasha.
- For Sri Lanka, options include Siyatha TV, Channel Eye, and SLRC on TV, plus Sri Lanka Cricket YouTube and Dialog ViU online.
- UK fans have TNT Sports 1, Sky Sports Cricket, and talkSPORT on television, alongside Discovery+, Sky Go, and NOW TV for streaming.
- In South Africa, SuperSport covers it on TV and via their app, while
- Australia might check Fox Sports for TV (TBD) and Kayo Sports for live streams. Subscriptions often apply, and VPNs can assist with geo-blocks where permitted.
How to Watch the Match for Free:
On TV: The match is available free on DD Sports if you have a DD Free Dish connection; this lets you watch the game without any extra subscription fee.
On apps/sites: Live streaming is officially on JioCinema/Disney+ Hotstar (as per current rights), but these usually require at least a basic mobile or bundled plan; full live action is not generally free, though highlights are often available at no cost after the match.
Live Streaming Info:
The 2ND T20 will be live on TNT Cricket.
Live Score Info:
ESPN and Cricbuzz will be live scores. England vs Sri Lanka
Head-to-Head
England lead Sri Lanka 10-4 in 14 T20I meetings, showcasing their historical edge in the format. Last five clashes all went England’s way: 4 wickets (Sydney 2022), 26 runs (Sharjah 2021), 89 runs (Southampton 2021), 5 wickets (Cardiff 2021), plus the 1st T20I here (DLS 2026).
Sri Lanka Analysi
Sri Lanka’s strength lies in their spin attack—Wanindu Hasaranga, Maheesh Theekshana, and mystery of Matheesha Pathirana—with Dasun Shanaka’s all-round savvy anchoring. Weaknesses showed in batting collapse yesterday; top order like Pathum Nissanka needs consistency at home venue where they’ve won 19 of 36 T20Is. Key players: Kusal Mendis (solid 37 last game), Shanaka (1-12).
Probable XI: 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 Analysis
England’s batting firepower with Phil Salt (46 in opener), Jos Buttler, and Harry Brook (c) pairs with spin duo Adil Rashid and Liam Dawson, plus pace from Jofra Archer and Sam Curran (3-38). Their weakness could be adapting to spin-friendly Pallekele, but recent seam-swing control was spot-on. Standouts: Salt’s opener form, Rashid’s wickets; Curran balances perfectly.
Probable XI: Phil Salt (wk), Jos Buttler, Harry Brook (c), Tom Banton, Jacob Bethell, Will Jacks, Jamie Overton, Sam Curran, Adil Rashid, Liam Dawson, Jofra Archer
Prediction
England’s superior head-to-head, opener momentum, and balanced squad give them the edge on this spin-assisting pitch, even with Sri Lanka’s home spin trio. Expect England to chase successfully again for a 2-0 lead.