England vs Sri Lanka Prediction & Match Preview – 1st ODI, Chester-le-Street
Match summary
England won by 89 runs: England 265 (48.1 ov), Sri Lanka 176 (37 ov). Player of the match: Will Jacks.
Our preview of England vs Sri Lanka in the 1st ODI at Riverside Ground, Chester-le-Street on 22 September 2026: form, likely XIs, pitch and scores.
Match details
| Match | England vs Sri Lanka, 1st ODI |
|---|---|
| Series | Sri Lanka tour of England 2026 |
| Date | 22 Sep 2026 |
| Start time | 11:30 am GMT / 12:30 pm local |
| Venue | Riverside Ground, Chester-le-Street |
| Status | Result |
| Result | England won by 89 runs |
| Player of the match | Will Jacks |
| Our pick | England ✓ |
| Toss pick | England |
Matches in this series
Match preview
England host Sri Lanka in the first ODI of the series at Riverside Ground in Chester-le-Street on Tuesday 22 September, after dominating the T20I leg of the tour. They have also won their last two ODI series convincingly.
Jacob Bethell and Jos Buttler give England an explosive opening pair, with Joe Root, Harry Brook and Will Jacks in the middle order and Jamie Overton, Gus Atkinson and Liam Dawson capable of quick runs lower down. Jofra Archer and Atkinson lead the new-ball attack, Adil Rashid has taken 11 wickets this year and Josh Tongue adds another pace option.
Sri Lanka need a much-improved showing, since their batting has struggled in English conditions. Kusal Mendis has averaged 44.16 over the past 12 months, and Pathum Nissanka, Kamindu Mendis, Pavan Rathnayake and Charith Asalanka will back him up. Dushmantha Chameera has taken six wickets in the last 12 months and will lead the bowling with Maheesh Theekshana, with Ashita Fernando and Wanindu Hasaranga also in support.
Expect a balanced contest, with seamers important throughout and the chasing side possibly finding runs harder if the pitch slows.
Riverside Ground tends to offer a balanced surface with good bounce and carry. The new ball can swing and seam, especially under cloud, which gives the quicks a chance in the powerplay. Batting gets easier once players settle, though it is rarely a completely flat track. Spinners who vary their pace can be useful in the middle overs. In an ODI, around 250 or more is competitive and 270 or more would put the batting side in a strong position.
Partly sunny and comfortable at 21–22°C for the 12:30 pm local start, with a very low rain threat and light to moderate winds that might help seam bowlers. Weather interruption is unlikely.
Expected scores
| Innings | Predicted | Actual |
|---|---|---|
| First innings | 245–265 | 265 (48.1 ov) |
| Second innings | 225–245 | 176 (37 ov) |
England
England dominated the T20Is and have won their last two ODI series convincingly, so our preview picks them to win the opener.
Toss pick: England
FAQ
Who captains each side?
Harry Brook captains England. Kusal Mendis is expected to lead Sri Lanka and keep wicket.
How is Joe Root’s form?
Root has scored 525 runs this year at an average of 105.00 and is expected to anchor England’s middle order.
Who is expected to win?
Our preview picks England, who are also tipped to win the toss.
Probable XIs
Expected line-ups from our preview. c = captain, wk = wicketkeeper.
England
- Harry Brookc
- Jos Buttlerwk
- Jacob Bethell
- Joe Root
- Jamie Overton
- Liam Dawson
- Gus Atkinson
- Adil Rashid
- Jofra Archer
- Will Jacks
- Josh Tongue
Sri Lanka
- Kusal Mendisc, wk
- Pathum Nissanka
- Kamindu Mendis
- Pavan Rathnayake
- Charith Asalanka
- Janith Liyanage
- Dasun Shanaka
- Wanindu Hasaranga
- Maheesh Theekshana
- Dushmantha Chameera
- Ashita Fernando
Head-to-head
Earlier meetings of England and Sri Lanka that we covered: England 3, Sri Lanka 0 wins.