Sri Lanka vs England Prediction, 3rd ODI – Who will win today’s match between SL vs ENG?

Jan 26, 2026 - 11:15

Sri Lanka (SL) and England (ENG) will lock horns in the third and final ODI of the three-match series at the R Premadasa Stadium in Colombo on Tuesday, January 27. The series is currently balanced at 1-1, and both teams will be hoping to bring their A-game on the field in the deciding clash.

The hosts have had a decent series so far, as they clinched a 19-run victory in the opener. In the previous game, the Harry Brook-led team bounced back brilliantly, courtesy of Joe Root's batting display, and levelled the series.

With the series hung in balance, both teams will be wishing their batters would look to score big runs and help their respective teams with the three-match series.

SL vs ENG Match Details

Match	Sri Lanka vs England, 3rd ODI, England tour of Sri Lanka 2026
Date and Time (IST)	Tuesday, January 27; 2:30 pm
Venue	R Premadasa Stadium, Colombo
Broadcast & Live Streaming Details	Sony Sports Network & SonyLIV, Fancode (app & website)

R Premadasa Stadium, Colombo: Pitch Report

Spinners reigned supreme in the series-opening clash, picking up 11 of the 16 wickets to fall across both innings. A similar pattern is likely to unfold at R. Premadasa Stadium in Colombo on Saturday as well. Batting for both teams outside the initial powerplay only becomes increasingly difficult as the match progresses. The average first innings score in the 185 ODIs played at the venue is 230, indicating how difficult it is for batters.

SL vs ENG Head-to-Head ODI Record

Matches Played	81
Won by Sri Lanka	38
Won by England	39
Tied	1
No Result	3
First-ever Fixture	February 13, 1982
Most-recent Fixture	January 24, 2026

SL vs ENG Predicted Playing XIs

Sri Lanka (SL):

Pathum Nissanka, Kamil Mishara, Kusal Mendis(w), Dhananjaya de Silva, Charith Asalanka(c), Janith Liyanage, Pavan Rathnayake, Dunith Wellalage, Pramod Madushan, Jeffrey Vandersay, Asitha Fernando

England (ENG):

Rehan Ahmed, Ben Duckett, Joe Root, Jacob Bethell, Harry Brook(c), Jos Buttler(w), Will Jacks, Sam Curran, Jamie Overton, Liam Dawson, Adil Rashid

SL vs ENG Probable Best Performers

Probable Best Batter: Joe Root

England's Joe Root could be the best batter in the third ODI against hosts Sri Lanka. The right-hand batter in the second ODI scored a match-winning 75 to help his team level the series and stay alive in the three-match tie. The veteran will be hoping to come up with yet another impressive knock to guide England to victory. Additionally, Root is the highest-run-getter of the series with 136 runs in two innings, including scores of 61 and 75, respectively.

Probable Best Bowler: Jeffrey Vandersay

Sri Lankan spinner Jeffrey Vandersay could be the best bowler in the upcoming clash against the Three Lions. The pitch provides help to the spinners, and he will look to make the most of it. Vandersay is currently the second-highest wicket-taker of the series with four scalps.