England is officially returning to Sri Lanka for a thrilling six-match cricket tour after more than seven years, with ODIs and T20Is lined up as preparation for the 2026 T20 World Cup. Fans are bracing for a historic showdown between two cricketing giants.
The England cricket team will tour Sri Lanka for a three-match ODI and T20I series, the country’s cricket board officially confirmed today (20).
This high-profile tour will serve as vital preparation for the upcoming T20 World Cup, which is scheduled to be held in early January 2026.
The ODI series will be played first, with matches scheduled for January 22, 24, and 27.
Following the ODIs, Sri Lanka will host England in a three-match T20I series on January 30, February 1, and February 3, giving both teams a crucial chance to fine-tune their squads ahead of the global tournament.
It is particularly noteworthy that England is touring Sri Lanka after a gap of more than seven years. The last series was in 2018, when England secured an ODI series victory and also triumphed in the only T20I match.
The two sides last met in a T20 clash at the 2022 T20 World Cup, where England continued to demonstrate its dominance in the shortest format of the game.
This series comes just weeks before the much-anticipated 2026 T20 World Cup, which will be co-hosted by Sri Lanka and India in February and March, marking a historic moment for the island nation.
England, who have been crowned T20 World Champions twice, in 2009 and again in 2022, will be looking to sharpen their lineup as they aim to defend their title on Asian soil.
