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England Tour of Sri Lanka 2026: A Crucial Warm-Up for the 2026 T20 World Cup
Updated - 21-AUG-2025 5:32 IST

An important white-ball tour of Sri Lanka will be undertaken by England in January and February of 2026 as the world of cricket prepares for the 2026 ICC Men's T20 World Cup, which will be co-hosted by India and Sri Lanka.
Sri Lanka already won their last ODI series against Bangladesh by 2-1, but lost the T20I series by 2-1 in July.
Tour Format & Schedule
The bilateral series on the tour is brief but captivating:
- 3 One-Day Internationals (ODIs) scheduled for January 22, 24, and 27 of 2026.
- Dates of the 3 Twenty20 Internationals (T20Is) are January 30, February 1, and February 3, 2026.
Famous Sri Lankan stadiums are used as venues, including the Pallekele International Cricket Stadium in Pallekele for the T20Is and the R. Premadasa International Cricket Stadium in Colombo for the ODIs.
Strategic Importance of the Tour
This tour will be England's first white-ball visit to Sri Lanka in almost seven years; the last one was in 2018, during which time the team had an undefeated record in both ODIs and T20Is. A proven test of adaptation in the T20 format, the 2026 T20 World Cup is set for early next month, providing England with significant exposure to subcontinental pitches and conditions.