Sri Lanka and England lock horns in the second ODI at R. Premadasa Stadium in Colombo on 24 January 2026, with play commencing at 2:30 PM IST (9:00 AM GMT). This crucial contest gives the hosts a golden opportunity to seal the series after their commanding 19-run victory in the opener. Kusal Mendis’ unbeaten 93 anchored the Lankan innings, whilst Dunith Wellalage’s all-round brilliance earned him the Player of the Match award. Sri Lanka will aim to replicate their winning formula at this familiar venue.
England, despite a promising 117-run partnership between Ben Duckett (62) and Joe Root (61), suffered a crushing collapse of 5-35, which derailed their chase of 272. Harry Brook’s side faces a must-win situation to keep the series alive. The touring team will need to show more resilience against spin on the turning Colombo track. The contest promises an intriguing battle between Sri Lanka’s potent spin trio and England’s fragile middle order, with the series potentially on the line. Below, you’ll find comprehensive match odds, pitch analysis, and weather conditions for this decisive encounter.
Winning and Toss Odds For Sri Lanka vs England 2nd ODI Match
Despite Sri Lanka’s commanding win in the opener, bookmakers marginally favour England for the second encounter, though the hosts remain competitive in the betting markets.
| Platform | Sri Lanka Win Odds | England Win Odds | Toss Odds (Sri Lanka) | Toss Odds (England) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1xBet | 2.10 | 1.72 | 1.95 | 1.85 |
| Stake | 2.05 | 1.75 | 1.90 | 1.90 |
| 4RABET | 2.15 | 1.70 | 1.92 | 1.88 |
| BeVibe | 2.08 | 1.73 | 1.93 | 1.87 |
Sri Lanka vs England 2nd ODI: Match Details
| Aspect | Details |
|---|---|
| Match | SL vs ENG, 2nd ODI |
| Series | England tour of Sri Lanka, 2026 |
| Date | January 24, Saturday |
| Time | 02:30 PM IST/ 09:00 AM GMT |
| Venue | R. Premadasa Stadium, Colombo |
Sri Lanka vs England Squad For 2nd ODI
Here are the confirmed squads for the second match of this Sri Lanka vs England three-game series:
- England Squad: Zak Crawley, Ben Duckett, Joe Root, Jacob Bethell, Harry Brook(c), Jos Buttler(w), Sam Curran, Rehan Ahmed, Jamie Overton, Liam Dawson, Adil Rashid, Luke Wood, Brydon Carse, Tom Banton, Will Jacks
- Sri Lanka Squad: 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, Kamindu Mendis, Maheesh Theekshana, Milan Priyanath Rathnayake, Eshan Malinga, Wanindu Hasaranga, Sadeera Samarawickrama
Pitch Report of R. Premadasa Stadium, Colombo
The R. Premadasa Stadium features a slow, turning surface that heavily favours spinners, particularly in the middle and death overs, making it extremely challenging for batters.
| Aspect | Details |
|---|---|
| Pitch Behaviour | A slow, low two-paced surface with variable bounce. Excellent grip and turn for spinners from the start. Batting becomes increasingly difficult as the match progresses. |
| Batting Assistance | Decent stroke-play possible in the powerplay; batters need time to settle. Scoring boundaries becomes difficult outside the first 10 overs. |
| Bowling Assistance | Spinners dominate with turn and grip throughout. Pacers get minimal assistance beyond the new ball. Slower balls and cutters are effective. |
| Ground Dimensions | Large boundaries make big-hitting difficult; forces batters to rotate strike and find gaps |
| ODI First Innings Score | The average first-innings score is 238, with 60% of totals between 200-270. |
| Toss Factor | Batting first historically successful; captains prefer setting totals. Teams batting first have won 8 of the last 10 ODIs at this venue. |
Weather Report
| Aspect | Details |
|---|---|
| Temperature | The temperature is around 28°C, warm and humid conditions expected. |
| Weather | Cloudy skies with possible scattered showers. |
| Precipitation | There is a 65% chance of rain interruption. |
| Humidity | The humidity will be 79%. |
| Wind | Wind speed will be 30.8 km/h. |
Sri Lanka vs England Head-to-Head In ODIs
The historical record is perfectly balanced, with both teams having won 38 encounters apiece, making this series even more intriguing.
| Aspect | Details |
|---|---|
| Total Matches Played | 121 |
| Sri Lanka Won | 63 |
| England Won | 50 |
| Tied/No Result | 08 |
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Key Players To Watch For SL vs ENG 2nd ODI
| Player | Key stats + why he matters |
|---|---|
| Kusal Mendis (SL) | 4,844 ODI runs in 152 matches with 6 centuries + 35 fifties. He’s Sri Lanka’s most reliable top-order batter right now and can control the innings even on slow Colombo pitches. |
| Wanindu Hasaranga (SL) | In ODIs, he has 1,126 runs with a strike rate of 109.3 and a top score of 80*. His batting impact late in the innings and match-winning role in pressure moments makes him a key X-factor. |
| Joe Root (ENG) | A proven ODI anchor with 7,391 runs in 187 matches, averaging 48.6, with 19 hundreds + 44 fifties. England will depend on him to handle spin and keep the chase stable. |
| Ben Duckett (ENG) | In ODIs, he has 1,126 runs with a strike rate of 109.3 and a top score of 80*. His batting impact late in the innings and match-winning role in pressure moments make him a key X-factor. |
