The England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) has announced that the England men’s team will travel to Sri Lanka in January-February for a white-ball series. The tour will serve as important preparation for the ICC T20 World Cup 2026, which will be co-hosted by India and Sri Lanka in February-March.
England Announce White-Ball Tour of Sri Lanka
England, which won the T20 World Cup in 2010 and 2022, fell short of reaching the final in the last edition held in the West Indies and the USA. Recently, under Ben Stokes’ leadership, they played a five-match Test series against India. The Anderson-Tendulkar 2025 series ended in a 2-2 draw.
The ECB confirmed that England will kick off the tour with a three-match ODI series from January 22 to 27, followed by three T20Is from January 30 to February 3.
In its official statement, the board said:
“England Men will tour Sri Lanka for two white-ball series ahead of the 2026 ICC Men’s T20 World Cup in early 2026.”
Read More
“The three-match one-day international series will begin on Thursday 22 January and end on Tuesday 27 January. The three-match IT20 series starts on Friday 30 January before concluding on Tuesday 3 February.”
“The venues for each match are to be confirmed by Sri Lanka Cricket.”
Playing in Sri Lanka will help England get used to Asian conditions, which are often similar to those in India. While English pitches generally favor seam bowling, Sri Lankan surfaces, like those in India, tend to assist spinners, making it valuable practice before the World Cup.
England Men’s Tour of Sri Lanka 2026 – Fixtures
| Match | Date | Venue |
|---|---|---|
| 1st ODI | Thursday, 22 January | TBC |
| 2nd ODI | Saturday, 24 January | TBC |
| 3rd ODI | Tuesday, 27 January | TBC |
| 1st T20I | Friday, 30 January | TBC |
| 2nd T20I | Sunday, 1 February | TBC |
| 3rd T20I | Tuesday, 3 February | TBC |
Busy White-Ball Schedule Ahead
Before their Sri Lanka tour, England will have a packed white-ball schedule at home this September. They are set to play six games against South Africa, starting with an ODI series on:
- September 2 at Headingley
- September 4 at Lord’s
- September 7 at The Rose Bowl
The T20I series will then follow with matches on:
- September 10 in Cardiff
- September 12 in Manchester
- September 14 in Nottingham
Harry Brook, who took over as England’s limited-overs captain after the Champions Trophy 2025, will continue to lead against South Africa. However, he will be given a rest for the subsequent series in Ireland.
In Brook’s absence, 21-year-old Jacob Bethell will step in as captain. Bethell recently made history by becoming England’s youngest men’s skipper, breaking a record held since the 1888/89 season when Monty Bowden captained England at 23 years and 144 days in a Test against South Africa.
ALSO READ: ICC Responds After Virat Kohli And Rohit Sharma’s Names Disappear From ODI Rankings
