SL vs ENG Match Prediction- Who will win 2nd ODI? England tour of Sri Lanka 2026

SL vs ENG 2nd ODI will be played on January 24 [Source: YorkshireCCC, Weirdgripping84/X.com]

Sri Lanka hosts England in the second of the three-match ODI series at the R Premadasa Stadium, Colombo, on January 24. Leading up to the SL vs ENG 2nd ODI game, the hosts have taken a lead in the series with a 19-run win in the first match.

In the first ODI at the same venue, Sri Lanka's Kusal Mendis led the team to a winning total of 271/6 in 50 overs, while Pramod Madhushan led the bowling attack alongside Dunith Wellalage to defend the score. For England, Ben Duckett and Joe Root scored fifties, and Adil Rashid picked a solitary wicket.

As England look to bounce back in the series, here's a look at what to expect.

Sri Lanka vs England current form (last 5 ODIs)

SL vs ENG, 2nd ODI: Player battles

Kusal Mendis vs Adil Rashid

Sri Lanka's Kusal Mendis, who was instrumental in their win during the first ODI, as the leading run-scorer with an unbeaten 93, will again be the glue in the batting order, where he is among the senior players and has fared well against the opponents.

On the other hand, Adil Rashid, who was the pick of the bowlers in the first game, is a good match-up as a leg spinner to a right-hand batter, who will bat in the middle overs. The winner of this face-off will put his team in a promising position in the match.

Joe Root vs Dunith Wellalage

Joe Root, who has been consistently among the runs across formats for the last few years, was again batting in a good rhythm for his 61(90) in the series opener before he was dismissed, and the middle order collapsed. As a left-arm orthodox bowler who picked 2/41 in the same game, Dunith Wellalage will be a positive match-up for Charith Asalanka against the batter after the powerplay.

Jos Buttler vs Pramod Madhushan

Explosive middle-order batter Jos Buttler looked set for a big finish during their run-chase in the first match of the series. While he comes in to bat at the back end of the innings to provide finishing touches. The right-arm quick, who came to bowl in the death overs in the last match, is expected to do the same job in the second ODI, after a burst with the new ball.

The winner of this head-to-head will put their team in a good position at the end of the innings or chase/defend the target in a crunch situation.

Sri Lanka vs England, top performers

Most runs for SL vs ENG in ODIs (current players)

Among the current squad members, Kusal Mendis’ 380 runs against England in 11 innings is the most for any Sri Lankan player. He has four fifties against the opposition and averages 38.

Most wickets for SL vs ENG in ODIs (current players)

Off-break bowler Dhananjaya de Silva’s 6 wickets in 8 innings, averaging 25.33 and bowling at an economy rate of 4.34, is the best for the current Sri Lankan roster. He has the best figures of 3/32 against them.

Most runs for ENG vs SL in ODIs (current players)

Among the English batters, Joe Root has the most runs against Sri Lanka, with 1239 runs in 27 innings, which includes two hundreds and 10 fifties. He averages 61.95 against the opposition.

Most wickets for ENG vs SL in ODIs (current players)

England leg-spinner Adil Rashid, with 18 scalps in 15 innings, has the most wickets against SL from the current squad. He averages 34.72 with an economy rate of 5.01 against them.

Sri Lanka vs England, 2nd ODI, toss prediction

R Premadasa Stadium, Colombo, has historically not a high-scoring ground, with considerable help for the spinners, especially as the surface settles towards the end of the first innings and makes it difficult to chase down big totals. The team winning the toss will prefer batting first here and put on around 300-310 runs to have an upper hand in the fixture.

Sri Lanka vs England, 2nd ODI - 1st innings score predictions

Powerplay – 42/1

End of the innings – 285/6

Sri Lanka vs England, 2nd ODI- 2nd innings score predictions

Powerplay – 45/0

End of the innings – 265/10

SL vs ENG, 2nd ODI: Top players predictions

Sri Lanka’s top players prediction

Pathum Nissanka, Dunith Wellalage.

England’s top players prediction

Adil Rashid, Joe Root.

Who will hit the most sixes in SL vs ENG, 2nd ODI?

Jos Buttler

Who will hit the most fours in SL vs ENG, 2nd ODI?

Pathum Nissanka

SL vs ENG Match Winner prediction: Who will win the 2nd ODI?

England are not coming to the second ODI high on confidence in ODI cricket, which is similar to how SL have treaded in the format in recent times. As things stand, while Sri Lanka clinched the first match, expect the star-studded visiting side to turn up and perform under pressure to stay alive in the series.

How they do in the middle overs will be crucial to their chances, considering their recent performances in New Zealand as well as the previous game.