England vs Sri Lanka, 42nd Match, Super 8 Group 2, ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026, is set for Sunday, February 22, 2026, at Pallekele International Cricket Stadium in Pallekele. The day/night clash starts at 3:00 PM local time (7:30 PM IST), with toss at 2:30 PM local.
Pallekele’s pitch typically favors batters early on, offering true bounce and carry for pace in the powerplay, but it slows down later, assisting spinners with grip and turn. In 33 T20s here, teams batting first have won 48%, chasing 45%, with an average first innings score around 165-180—dew often helps the team bowling second late in the game.
Expect cloudy skies with temperatures around 22-23°C and high humidity near 89% on match day. There’s an 86% chance of rain interruptions, so duckworth-lewis could play a role if showers hit during the afternoon.
This Super 8 Group 2 showdown carries massive stakes in the semifinal race. Both sides need points to boost net run rates and secure a top-two finish—England aim to build on their defending champion status, while co-hosts Sri Lanka crave a statement win at home to silence doubters after a shaky group stage.
England are firing on all cylinders, winning four of their last five with explosive chases and all-round depth intact. Sri Lanka mirror that with three wins in five but stumbled in their finale against Zimbabwe, exposing top-order reliance.
England’s ultra-aggression could clash with Sri Lanka’s spin web, especially sans Hasaranga due to injury. Recent momentum favors the visitors, but Pallekele’s dew and home crowd give Lankans an edge if they slow the middle overs. Watch powerplay fireworks and death-over nerves.
SL vs ENG Match Details
- Match: Sri Lanka vs England, 42nd Match
- Teams: SL vs ENG
- Date: 22 Feb 2026
- Time: 2:30 PM 9:30 AM GMT / 3:00 PM LOCAL
- Venue: Pallekele International Cricket Stadium
T20 World 2026 Live Streaming Info
The ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026 kicks off on February 7, 2026, and wraps up with the final on March 8, 2026. Hosted across India and Sri Lanka with 20 teams, it spans about a month—group stages from early February, Super 8s mid-month, semis late February/early March, and the final in Colombo or Mumbai.
- In India, tune into Star Sports Network (Star Sports 1, Star Sports 2) or stream on Disney+ Hotstar and JioCinema.
- Pakistan viewers can watch on PTV Sports, A Sports, or Ten Sports, with streaming available on Tapmad and Tamasha.
- For Sri Lanka, options include SLRC, Channel Eye, and Siyatha TV on TV, plus Sri Lanka Cricket YouTube and Dialog ViU online.
- UK fans have Sky Sports Cricket, TNT Sports 1, and talkSPORT on television, alongside Sky Go, Discovery+, and NOW TV for streaming.
- In South Africa, SuperSport covers it on TV and via their app.
- Australia might check Fox Sports for TV and Kayo Sports for live streams.
- USA and Canada: Willow TV on TV, Sling TV or Willow HD app for streaming.
- New Zealand: Sky Sport NZ on TV and Sky Go app.
- Bangladesh: Gazi TV (GTV) and Rabith BD app.
- Afghanistan: RTA Sport and Ariana TV.
Rest of the world: ICC.tv for free streaming where no local rights holder exists. Subscriptions often apply, and VPNs can assist with geo-blocks where permitted.
How to Watch the Match for Free:
Catch every boundary without paying via these official free options, perfect for fans in Pakistan and beyond.
Pakistan: PTV Sports broadcasts all matches live for free on TV via terrestrial, cable, and satellite—no subscription needed.
Live Streaming Info:
The 42nd T20 World Cup match will be live on Willow Cricket.
Live Score Info:
Head-to-Head
In T20Is, England hold a strong edge with around 13 wins to Sri Lanka’s 4 overall. The last five meetings? England swept 3-2: they chased 180 in the most recent thriller (2024 bilateral), won a low-scorer by 5 wickets before that, but Sri Lanka stole one via spin in 2022. Tight rivalry, but England dominate ICC stages.
England Analysis
Strengths lie in their bazooka batting—top-order firepower and middle-order finishers like Buttler—paired with versatile pacers and spinners who adapt to conditions. Weaknesses? Occasional collapses chasing big totals against quality spin. Recent performances: clinical in group stage, grinding past Nepal and Italy.
Probable XI: Jos Buttler (c/wk), Phil Salt, Will Jacks, Joe Root, Harry Brook, Liam Livingstone, Moeen Ali, Jofra Archer, Adil Rashid, Mark Wood, Reece Topley.
Sri Lanka Analysis
Home advantage fuels their spin-heavy attack and experienced top order, with tactical nous in rotations shining on slowing tracks. Weak spots include death-over fragility and injury woes thinning the bowling. They’ve notched three group wins but leaked runs lately against pace.
Probable XI: Pathum Nissanka, Kusal Mendis (wk), Charith Asalanka (c), Kamindu Mendis, Dinesh Chandimal, Dasun Shanaka, Wanindu Hasaranga, Maheesh Theekshana, Dunith Wellalage, Nuwan Thushara, Matheesha Pathirana.
England’s superior form, batting depth, and big-game nous tip the scales despite Sri Lanka’s spin threat and dew factor. Expect the defending champs to edge a high-scoring thriller by 8-12 runs if batting second, or post 175+ to defend. Toss winner likely bowls first.