England will face Sri Lanka in the third and final T20I of the series at Emirates Old Trafford in Manchester on Saturday, September 19. The hosts have already secured the series after winning the opening two matches and will now look to complete a 3-0 sweep.
England began the series with a commanding 119-run victory in Southampton, powered by Harry Brook’s unbeaten 114. They followed that with a six-wicket win in Cardiff, chasing down Sri Lanka’s 146-run target in just 12.1 overs. Tom Banton led the chase with an unbeaten 52 off 24 balls, while Liam Dawson claimed 3/32.
Sri Lanka have struggled to maintain their early momentum in both matches. They will now look to produce a stronger performance in Manchester and finish the T20I series with a victory before the three-match ODI series begins.
ENG vs SL: Match details
| Match | England vs Sri Lanka, 3rd T20I |
|---|---|
| Date | Saturday, September 19, 2026 |
| Time | 7:00 PM IST / 2:30 PM local |
| Venue | Emirates Old Trafford, Manchester |
| Series | Sri Lanka tour of England 2026 |
| TV | Sony Sports Ten 1 SD & HD |
| Streaming | SonyLIV |
The third T20I is a daytime fixture and is scheduled to begin at 2:30 PM local time in Manchester.
Emirates Old Trafford, Manchester: Pitch report
Old Trafford can offer a balanced contest between bat and ball. The venue has generally produced competitive T20 totals, while the larger boundaries can give bowlers opportunities to restrict scoring if they maintain good lengths and vary their pace.
The surface can become easier for batting once players settle in, making wickets in the powerplay particularly important for both sides.
ENG vs SL: Head-to-head T20I record
| Matches played | 20 |
|---|---|
| Won by England | 16 |
| Won by Sri Lanka | 4 |
| Tied | 0 |
| No result | 0 |
| First-ever fixture | May 1, 2010 |
| Most recent fixture | September 17, 2026 |
England’s second-T20I victory was their 14th consecutive T20I win over Sri Lanka, extending their dominant recent record in this fixture.
ENG vs SL: Predicted playing XIs
England
- Aneurin Donald
- Jos Buttler (wk)
- Harry Brook (c)
- Tom Banton
- Jordan Cox
- Will Jacks
- Jamie Overton
- Jofra Archer
- Liam Dawson
- Sonny Baker
- Adil Rashid
Sri Lanka
- Pathum Nissanka
- Kamil Mishara (wk)
- Lahiru Udara
- Charith Asalanka (c)
- Dasun Shanaka
- Kamindu Mendis
- Wanindu Hasaranga
- Tharindu Ratnayake
- Dushmantha Chameera
- Eshan Malinga
- Dilshan Madushanka
These are probable XIs, not confirmed selections. Both squads contain additional options who could feature depending on team combination and conditions. England’s confirmed T20I squad includes Brook, Buttler, Archer, Dawson, Banton, Donald, Baker and Rashid, while Sri Lanka’s squad also includes players such as Dunith Wellalage, Maheesh Theekshana, Pavan Rathnayake and Janith Liyanage.
ENG vs SL: Probable best performers
Probable best batter: Harry Brook
Harry Brook has been England’s leading run-scorer in the series, with 137 runs across the first two matches. He smashed an unbeaten 114 in the opening T20I and followed it with 23 in Cardiff.
The England captain will now look to finish the series strongly and add another significant contribution in Manchester.
Probable best bowler: Liam Dawson
Liam Dawson has been one of England’s most effective bowlers in the series. He followed his contribution in the opening match with an excellent 3/32 in Cardiff, earning Player of the Match honours as England restricted Sri Lanka to 145/9.
Dawson has taken five wickets in the series so far, making him England’s leading wicket-taker heading into the finale.
ENG vs SL: Match prediction
England have controlled both matches so far and enter the final T20I with significant momentum. Their batting has produced 254/4 in the opening game before chasing 146 in only 12.1 overs in Cardiff. Their bowlers have also kept Sri Lanka’s scoring under control in both matches.
Sri Lanka will need a much stronger batting performance and greater consistency with the ball if they are to avoid a clean sweep.
Prediction: England to win.
