As the sun sets over the scenic Pallekele International Cricket Stadium tomorrow, England will look to complete a clean sweep, while Sri Lanka fights for pride and momentum ahead of the 2026 T20 World Cup.
England enter this final fixture with an unassailable 2-0 lead, having shown clinical efficiency in the first two rain-affected encounters. For the hosts, this is more than just a dead rubber; it is a final opportunity to test their combinations before the World Cup begins on home soil just four days later.
England’s middle order has been the difference-maker in this series. In the 1st T20I, Sam Curran’s historic hat-trick and Adil Rashid’s 3-wicket haul stifled the Lankans, leading to an 11-run win (DLS).
The 2nd T20I saw a much-improved batting performance from Sri Lanka, posting a competitive 189/5. However, a brilliant 54 from Tom Banton and a quick-fire 36 from skipper Harry Brook ensured England chased down a revised DLS target with two balls to spare, underlining their status as title contenders.
SL vs ENG, 3rd T20I: Match Details
- Date and Time: February 3; 7:00 pm IST and local time/ 1:30 pm GMT
- Venue: Pallekele International Cricket Stadium, Pallekele
SL vs ENG, Head-to-Head Record in T20Is
Matches played: 16 | Sri Lanka won: 10 | England won: 06 | No result/Tied: 0
Pallekele International Cricket Stadium Pitch Report
The Pallekele pitch is expected to provide a balanced battle between bat and ball, particularly in the early phase of the match. Batters are likely to benefit from consistent bounce and good carry during the powerplay, allowing stroke-makers with sound timing to play through the line with confidence. Historically, the venue has delivered competitive contests, with the average first-innings total sitting around 166—reinforcing its reputation as a well-balanced surface.
As the match progresses, conditions tend to evolve. Under lights, the pitch often slows down, bringing spinners into play as the ball starts to grip and turn more than it does earlier in the evening. This change can make scoring tougher through the middle overs, placing greater emphasis on intelligent shot selection and effective strike rotation. Teams may still lean towards batting first, aiming to put up a strong total and avoid the familiar mid-innings slowdown that often shapes games at Pallekele.
Squads
Sri Lanka: Dasun Shanaka (c), Pathum Nissanka, Kamil Mishara, Kusal Mendis, Kusal Perera, Maheesh Theekshana, Dushmantha Chameera, Pramod Madushan, Dhananjaya de Silva, Charith Asalanka, Janith Liyanage, Pavan Rathnayake, Dunith Wellalage, Wanindu Hasaranga, Matheesha Pathirana, Eshan Malinga
England: Harry Brook (c), Rehan Ahmed, Tom Banton, Jacob Bethell, Jos Buttler, Brydon Carse, Sam Curran, Liam Dawson, Ben Duckett, Will Jacks, Jamie Overton, Adil Rashid, Phil Salt, Josh Tongue, Luke Wood
Also READ: Tom Banton steers England to series-clinching win over Sri Lanka in 2nd T20I
SL vs ENG, 3rd T20I: Today’s Match Prediction
Case 1:
- Sri Lanka wins the toss and bats first
- Sri Lanka powerplay score: 40-50
- Sri Lanka total score: 180-190
Case 2:
- England wins the toss and bats first
- England powerplay score: 50-60
- England total score: 195-205
Match result: England to win the contest.
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