Sri Lanka v England 2026 white-ball tour schedule: Match dates, UK start times, how to watch and live stream on TNT Sports with six ODI and T20I games
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Updated 03/02/2026 at 11:33 GMT
The 2025/26 Ashes came to a disappointing conclusion for England's men, but their winter schedule doesn't stop there, with much more live action to come on TNT Sports and discovery+. England are in Sri Lanka ahead of the ICC Men's T20 World Cup 2026, with three ODI and three T20I matches. What times do the matches start in the UK? Who is playing for England? Read on for all you need to know.
Highlights: England pull off pulsating chase to wrap up T20 series win
Video credit: TNT Sports
While the NRMA Insurance men’s Ashes series has dominated attention this cricketing winter, another major prize looms on the horizon: the 2026 ICC Men's T20 World Cup in India and Sri Lanka.
England's white-ball tour of Sri Lanka - with all the action live on TNT Sports and discovery+ - serves as key preparation for that event.
Fresh from serving as Ben Stokes' vice-captain during the Test series against Australia, Harry Brook steps into a new role, soon leading England at a global tournament for the first time.
Appointed earlier this year as Jos Buttler's successor in white-ball cricket, the World Cup will mark a significant milestone in Brook's captaincy.
The matches against Sri Lanka offer England the opportunity to refine their plans ahead of that showpiece.
England won the three-match ODI series 2-1 and lead the T20I series 2-0 ahead of the final match on February 3.
Check out all the tour details below.
When is England's tour of Sri Lanka?
2026 Sri Lanka schedule and start times (all times UK)
- January 22: 1st ODI (R.Premadasa Stadium, Colombo) - SL won by 19 runs
- January 24: 2nd ODI (R.Premadasa Stadium, Colombo) - England won by 5 wickets
- January 27: 3rd ODI (R.Premadasa Stadium, Colombo) - England won by 53 runs
- January 30: 1st T20I (Pallekele International Cricket Stadium, Pallekele) - England won by 11 runs (DLS method)
- February 1: 2nd T20I (Pallekele International Cricket Stadium, Pallekele) - England won by six wickets
- February 3: 3rd T20I (Pallekele International Cricket Stadium, Pallekele, play starts at 13:30)
How to watch and live stream the tour of Sri Lanka
Every ball from the 2026 tour of Sri Lanka will be available live and on-demand via TNT Sports and its streaming platform, discovery+.
Viewers watching the action on discovery+ will benefit from the timeline markers featured throughout the series – allowing them to catch up on all the highlights and pivotal moments at their own pace.
To complement the live action, TNT Sports will broadcast highlights throughout the daytime on its linear channels and discovery+.
Who is playing for England and Sri Lanka?
England Men’s ODI Squad – Sri Lanka Tour
Harry Brook (Yorkshire) (Captain)
Rehan Ahmed (Leicestershire)
Tom Banton (Somerset)
Jacob Bethell (Warwickshire)
Jos Buttler (Lancashire)
Brydon Carse (Durham)
Zak Crawley (Kent)
Sam Curran (Surrey)
Liam Dawson (Hampshire)
Ben Duckett (Nottinghamshire)
Will Jacks (Surrey)
Jamie Overton (Surrey)
Adil Rashid (Yorkshire)
Joe Root (Yorkshire)
Luke Wood (Lancashire)
Rehan Ahmed (Leicestershire)
Tom Banton (Somerset)
Jacob Bethell (Warwickshire)
Jos Buttler (Lancashire)
Brydon Carse (Durham)
Zak Crawley (Kent)
Sam Curran (Surrey)
Liam Dawson (Hampshire)
Ben Duckett (Nottinghamshire)
Will Jacks (Surrey)
Jamie Overton (Surrey)
Adil Rashid (Yorkshire)
Joe Root (Yorkshire)
Luke Wood (Lancashire)
England Men’s IT20 Squad – Sri Lanka Tour & Provisional ICC Men’s T20 World Cup
Harry Brook (Yorkshire) (Captain)
Rehan Ahmed (Leicestershire)
Jofra Archer (Sussex) - ICC Men’s T20 World Cup only
Tom Banton (Somerset)
Jacob Bethell (Warwickshire)
Jos Buttler (Lancashire)
Brydon Carse (Durham) - Sri Lanka tour only
Sam Curran (Surrey)
Liam Dawson (Hampshire)
Ben Duckett (Nottinghamshire)
Will Jacks (Surrey)
Jamie Overton (Surrey)
Adil Rashid (Yorkshire)
Phil Salt (Lancashire)
Josh Tongue (Nottinghamshire)
Luke Wood (Lancashire)
Rehan Ahmed (Leicestershire)
Jofra Archer (Sussex) - ICC Men’s T20 World Cup only
Tom Banton (Somerset)
Jacob Bethell (Warwickshire)
Jos Buttler (Lancashire)
Brydon Carse (Durham) - Sri Lanka tour only
Sam Curran (Surrey)
Liam Dawson (Hampshire)
Ben Duckett (Nottinghamshire)
Will Jacks (Surrey)
Jamie Overton (Surrey)
Adil Rashid (Yorkshire)
Phil Salt (Lancashire)
Josh Tongue (Nottinghamshire)
Luke Wood (Lancashire)
As for the hosts, Sri Lanka have already unveiled a 25-man preliminary squad for the T20 World Cup, with Dasun Shanaka named captain, so it is likely that the same set of players will be used against England as preparations begin for the showpiece tournament.
All-rounder Shanaka will lead a group built around a solid core of white-ball experience. Established names such as Pathum Nissanka, Kusal Mendis, Kusal Perera and former captain Charith Asalanka provide continuity and depth as Sri Lanka look to shape their plans well in advance of playing host to the event.
Sri Lanka preliminary squad for the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026
Dasun Shanaka (c), Pathum Nissanka, Kusal Mendis, Kamil Mishara, Kusal Perera, Dhananjaya de Silva, Niroshan Dickwella, Janith Liyanage, Charith Asalanka, Kamindu Mendis, Pavan Rathnayake, Sahan Arachchige, Wanindu Hasaranga, Dunith Wellalage, Milan Rathnayake, Nuwan Thushara, Eshan Malinga, Dushmantha Chameera, Pramod Madushan, Matheesha Pathirana, Dilshan Madushanka, Maheesh Theekshana, Dushan Hemantha, Vijayakanth Viyaskanth, Traveen Mathew.
What happened on England's last tour of Sri Lanka?
There was not a lot to glean from England's T20I series in New Zealand earlier this winter, with The Three Lions winning the single completed match during a weather-affected tour.
The one game that wasn't abandoned saw Phil Salt hit 85 with Brook's 78 helping England post 236 to eventually win by 65 runs in Christchurch.
For England's last tour of Sri Lanka, we have to go back five years.
In January 2021, as part of the inaugural 2019/2021 ICC World Test Championship, two back-to-back Test matches at the Galle International Stadium resulted in England winning by seven wickets and six wickets respectively.
The series was initially planned for March 2020, but was delayed due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
What is England's T20 World Cup schedule?
- February 8: v Nepal (Mumbai)
- February 11: v West Indies (Mumbai)
- February 14: Bangladesh (Kolkata)
- February 16: Italy (Kolkata)
Watch and stream every ball of England's 2026 tour of Sri Lanka live on TNT Sports and discovery+
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