England have named their team combination for the first ODI of the series against Sri Lanka scheduled to be played on January 21 at R.Premadasa Stadium, Colombo.
After a mixed bag of an Ashes 2025-26 with the bat, Zak Crawley is set for his ODI return after more than two years. Crawley made his ODI debut in 2021, scoring a half-century against Pakistan. From eight innings, he has managed to score 199 runs at an average of 28.42 and strike rate of 97.07. He has a half-century against Ireland as well. So far, he has registered three ducks in ODIs.
This will be England’s first match since the Ashes 2025-26 series defeat which led to an investigation into their trip to Noosa over alleged excessive drinking.
England have opted to go into the game without a specialist pacer in the lineup. Sam Curran and Jamie Overton are two pace-bowling options. The two spinners in the side are Adil Rashid and Liam Dawson. The other spin-bowling options are Jacob Bethell and Will Jacks.
The players who did not make into the side for the series opener are Rehan Ahmed, Tom Banton, Brydon Carse and Luke Wood.
England’s playing XI for 1st ODI vs Sri Lanka -
Zak Crawley, Ben Duckett, Joe Root, Jacob Bethell, Harry Brook (c), Jos Buttler (wk), Will Jacks, Sam Curran, Jamie Overton, Liam Dawson, Adil Rashid.
England vs Sri Lanka head-to-head record
England would look to repeat what they did on their last tour of Sri Lanka. On the 2018/19 tour, they beat Sri Lanka 3-1 in the five-ODI series.
So far, England have won 38 out of 79 games against Sri Lanka whereas one ended in a tie and three could not produce a result.
England don't have the best of ODI records on Sri Lanka soil. Out of 26 ODIs England have played in Sri Lanka, they have managed to win nine of them, 16 ended in a defeat whereas one couldn't produce a result.
Sri Lanka’s ODI squad vs England -
Charith Asalanka (c), Pathum Nissanka, Kamil Mishara, Kusal Mendis, Sadeera Samarawickrama, Pavan Rathnayake, Dhananjaya de Silva, Janith Liyanage, Kamindu Mendis, Dunith Wellalage, Wanindu Hasaranga, Jeffrey Vandersay, Maheesh Theekshana, Milan Rathnayake, Asitha Fernando, Pramod Madushan, Eshan Malinga.