England vs Sri Lanka is being played today, Thursday 22 October 2026, at Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium. It is the 3rd match of the Pakistan ODI Tri-Series, it started at 1:30 PM IST, and Sony LIV is streaming it in India. England are batting first. At our last check they were 228/2 in the 36th over, with Joe Root on 69 and Harry Brook on 76. Tom Banton made 50 at the top of the order.
The match had not finished when we last checked, so we have no result yet. We'll update the scorecard section below once the final score is confirmed. Until then, the live ESPNcricinfo scorecard is the quickest place to follow it ball by ball.
England vs Sri Lanka today: match card (IST)
| Detail | Info |
|---|---|
| Match | England vs Sri Lanka, 3rd match, Pakistan ODI Tri-Series 2026-27 |
| Date | Thursday, 22 October 2026 |
| Start time (India) | 1:30 PM IST (9:00 AM UK) |
| Venue | Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium, Pakistan |
| Captains | Harry Brook (England), Kusal Mendis (Sri Lanka) |
| Toss | Sri Lanka won and chose to field |
| Live stream in India | Sony LIV |
| Weather | Sunny, around 29°C |
A quick correction to some previews: a few pages call this the "1st ODI" and date it 20 October. That's wrong. 20 October was Pakistan vs England. Today's game is the 3rd match of the tri-series, and it's on 22 October.
Where to watch England vs Sri Lanka live in India
If you're searching "इंग्लंड वि श्रीलंका" or "England vs Sri Lanka live", this is what we know about watching from India:
- Streaming: Sony LIV has the tri-series in India, so you can watch on its app, a smart TV or the web. Our guide to Sony LIV plans and prices in India explains which pack you need for live sport.
- TV channel: We haven't seen a confirmed TV channel in India. Indian previews list streaming only. Check your DTH guide before you rely on a Sony Sports channel.
- Live score: ESPNcricinfo has the full scorecard and ball-by-ball commentary.
Outside India, Sky Sports and NOW are showing all seven tri-series matches in the UK, and Willow TV has them in the USA.
All the remaining tri-series games are in Lahore, which shares Rawalpindi's time zone. Previews have not confirmed start times for the later fixtures, though, so check the listing on match day.
England vs Sri Lanka scorecard: live updates
This section is being updated. When we last checked, England were still batting.
England innings so far
| Stage | Score | What happened |
|---|---|---|
| After 18 overs | 102/2 | Tom Banton made 50. Dunith Wellalage struck twice, and Ben Duckett was one of the wickets. |
| After 23 overs | 117/2 | Root 24*, Brook 13*. Sri Lanka's spinners had slowed the scoring. |
| 36th over | 228/2 | Root 69*, Brook 76*. The third-wicket stand was well past 100. |
| Final total | To be updated | |
Sri Lanka chase
Sri Lanka's chase will be added here. The target, the key wickets and the result will all go in this section once the match is over. Rawalpindi is generally seen as a good ground to chase on, which is part of why Kusal Mendis chose to field. It was his fifth toss win in a row on this Pakistan tour.
Tom Banton keeps scoring for England
Banton is a big reason so many people are searching for this match. He made 50 today after 57 against Pakistan on 20 October, so he has two half-centuries in two tri-series innings.
It continues a strong year against Sri Lanka in particular. Banton was the top run-scorer in the September 2026 ODI series in England with 209 runs, and England won that series 2–1. With Jos Buttler not in this squad, Banton has become a regular at the top of England's one-day order alongside Duckett.
Today, Sri Lanka's left-arm spinner Dunith Wellalage got England's innings under control after Banton's fast start. Wellalage only came into the XI for this match. Root and Brook then took the innings back.
England vs Sri Lanka playing XIs and team changes
Both sides made changes after losing to Pakistan.
- England: Josh Tongue and Liam Dawson came in for Sonny Baker and Adil Rashid.
- Sri Lanka: Dunith Wellalage came in for Sachindu Colombage.
England playing XI
Ben Duckett, Tom Banton, Joe Root, Harry Brook (c), Jordan Cox, Sam Curran, Will Jacks, Liam Dawson, Jamie Overton, Gus Atkinson, Josh Tongue.
Sri Lanka playing XI
Avishka Fernando, Kamindu Mendis, Kusal Mendis (c), Pavan Rathnayake, Sahan Arachchige, Janith Liyanage, Dasun Shanaka, Dunith Wellalage, Eshan Malinga, Asitha Fernando, Dilshan Madushanka.
England full squad for the tri-series
Harry Brook (c), Gus Atkinson, Sonny Baker, Tom Banton, James Coles, Jordan Cox, Mason Crane, Ajeet Singh Dale-free attack aside, the list is completed by Josh Crocombe-style seam options: see below.
- Batters: Harry Brook (c), Joe Root, Ben Duckett, Tom Banton, Jordan Cox
- All-rounders: Sam Curran, Will Jacks, Liam Dawson, Jamie Overton, James Coles
- Bowlers: Gus Atkinson, Josh Tongue, Sonny Baker, Adil Rashid, Mason Crane, Crocombe
Jos Buttler is not in the squad.
Why this England vs Sri Lanka match matters
Each of the three teams plays the other two twice, and the top two reach the final. Pakistan beat both England and Sri Lanka in the first two matches, so whichever side loses today falls well behind in the race for the second place in the final.
Tri-series results so far
| Date | Match | Result |
|---|---|---|
| 18 Oct | Pakistan vs Sri Lanka, Rawalpindi | Pakistan won by 37 runs. Sri Lanka went from 256/7 to 268 all out, with fifties from Pavan Rathnayake and Janith Liyanage. |
| 20 Oct | Pakistan vs England, Rawalpindi | Pakistan (303) won by 87 runs. England collapsed from 120/1 to 215 all out. Arafat Minhas took 6/40 and Banton made 57. |
| 22 Oct | England vs Sri Lanka, Rawalpindi | In progress |
Standings before today's match
| Team | Played | Won | Lost |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pakistan | 2 | 2 | 0 |
| England | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| Sri Lanka | 1 | 0 | 1 |
Remaining fixtures: England vs Sri Lanka again on 29 October
The rest of the tri-series moves to Lahore. England and Sri Lanka play each other a second time on 29 October, so expect another rush of searches that day.
| Date | Match | Venue |
|---|---|---|
| Sun, 25 Oct | Pakistan vs England | Lahore |
| Tue, 27 Oct | Pakistan vs Sri Lanka | Lahore |
| Thu, 29 Oct | England vs Sri Lanka | Lahore |
| Sat, 31 Oct | Final | Lahore |
England vs Sri Lanka head-to-head in 2026
England have won every completed bilateral series against Sri Lanka in 2026. They also won the T20 World Cup meeting between the two teams.
| When | Competition | Result |
|---|---|---|
| Jan 2026 | 1st ODI, Colombo | Sri Lanka won by 19 runs |
| Jan 2026 | 2nd ODI, Colombo | England won by 5 wickets |
| Jan 2026 | 3rd ODI, Colombo | England won by 53 runs, with centuries from Root and Brook (England won the series 2–1) |
| Jan–Feb 2026 | T20I series in Sri Lanka | England led 2–0 before the final game on 3 Feb |
| 22 Feb 2026 | T20 World Cup Super 8, Pallekele | England won by 51 runs |
| Sept 2026 | 1st ODI, Chester-le-Street | England won by 89 runs |
| Sept 2026 | 2nd ODI, Headingley | Sri Lanka won by 16 runs (scored 321/6) |
| Sept 2026 | 3rd ODI, The Oval | England won by 223 runs (355/7 vs 132). England won the series 2–1, and Will Jacks was player of the series. |
| Sept 2026 | T20I series in England | England won 3–0, including a 119-run win at Southampton. Harry Brook was player of the series. |
Sri Lanka have still won one ODI in each of this year's two ODI series, and the Headingley win came while chasing nothing less than 321. They know how to beat this England side. Doing it in neutral conditions in Pakistan, after a heavy defeat to the hosts, is a different challenge.
Pitch and weather at Rawalpindi
The forecast was sunny and about 29°C, so rain should not interrupt play. Rawalpindi usually suits batting and is seen as a good ground for chasing. Spinners have still mattered in this series, though. Arafat Minhas took 6/40 against England, and today Wellalage slowed the middle overs.
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