T20 Sri Lanka vs England: Let Battle Recommence!

Sri Lanka vs England

England’s tour of Sri Lanka continues on Saturday, and both teams have a score to settle. The tourists won the ODI series by a convincing 3-1 margin but have just taken a hammering in the final game.

So next up… it’s T20 Sri Lanka vs England at the R. Premadasa Stadium in Colombo. The hosts want to stay out of the shadow of their big-hitting visitors, but England’s team is not one to take a defeat lying down. It all adds up to another fascinating clash for SBOBET cricket fans.

Talking Points

The vast majority of Sri Lanka vs England predictions are pointing to a win for England, and the statistics back that up. But Sri Lanka have a rich history in the one-day game, and their passionate fans are desperate to see their side rise up again.

Captains to lead from the front:

Angelo Mathews was axed from his captain’s role in the ODIs after a dismal run of form, and he won’t be recalled for the 20 over format. He’s been a big character during the Lions’ golden period, but time waits for no one and Sri Lanka need to find some new heroes.

All-rounder Thisara Perera looks set to captain the hosts, and he can lead by example. as one of Sri Lanka’s most successful bowlers in the T20 format. And he has the best bowlers from the one-day series defeat alongside him, off-spinner Akila Dananjaya and paceman Dushmantha Chameera.

Niroshan Dickwella to star in T20 Sri Lanka vs England fixture — Sri Lanka’s Niroshan Dickwella plays a shot during their fifth one-day international cricket match against England

In the hosts’ batting line-up, Niroshan Dickwella looks in the best nick. He has hit two half-centuries in the ODI series, including a match-winning 96 in the final game. Dinesh Chandimal weighed in with 80, and they’ll be backed up by the squad’s leading T20 run-getter Kusal Perera. The swashbuckling middle-order batsman scored the second fastest domestic 50 of all time for his club side Wayamba.

For England, skipper Eoin Morgan’s return to form couldn’t come at a better time. With the World Cup looming ever closer, his top-scoring 195 runs in the ODI series gives his team as much confidence as it does himself. He’s the leading T20 batsman in England and is leading a side with explosive talent in the white ball game; they are favourites to win the ODI World Cup next year and capable of blowing away any side in the world over 20 overs.

And what a line-up Morgan has alongside him. Test skipper Joe Root is a born match-winner, and England have arguably the most natural hitter of the ball in world cricket in Jos Buttler.

Adil Rashid can get Lions in a spin:

The Yorkshire spinner is finally growing into the international game; he’s always been a useful lower-order all-rounder, but the increased control in his bowling has made his undoubted ability to turn a ball all the more potent. He’s been the tourists’ best bowler so far and is ranked ninth in the ICC bowling rankings in this format. Moeen Ali is a dangerous customer, too, while pacemen Ben Stokes, Tom Curran and Chris Woakes can all dominate with bat or ball.

History

Sri Lanka can take some comfort from the record 219 win they had in this very stadium in the final ODI…but they may well need it.

Eoin Morgan rested himself for that game and will be firing on all cylinders when the two sides meet on Saturday.

Previous Sri Lanka vs England results have the two teams locked at four each. The first game was a win for Sri Lanka at Southampton’s Rose Bowl in 2006, with the last being a victory for England ten years later at the same venue. And it was Buttler and Morgan who put Sri Lanka to the sword in that game, sharing an unbeaten stand of 114 in typically quick time.

The most recent clues to how this T20 may go came in the third ODI, in which England won a game reduced to 21 overs, and they only needed 18.3 of those to win by seven wickets.

And this isn’t a happy hunting ground for the Lions: they have lost 15 of the 19 twenty over matches they have played at this ground. But their fans need some cheering up; Sri Lanka failed to reach the finals of the home tri-series in March against India and Bangladesh.

Betting Tip

	Sri Lanka vs England	England to hit most sixes -0.75 @ 1.80
	November 27, 21:30 GMT+8

The hosts will need to be at their very best to get anything out of this game. The current ICC T20 rankings place England in fourth place with Sri Lanka down in ninth, behind relative newcomers Afghanistan.

England are heavy favourites at 1.46 to win the match, with Sri Lanka’s 2.66, and the Lions are at 2.06 +0.75 for the most sixes. But with Captain Morgan back in prime form and the firepower in his ranks, I can just see the English batters peppering the crowd rather more.