The short white-ball tour will not only help the England players, after a long Ashes series, to get back to the rhythm of short-format cricket, but also to get used to the sub-continent conditions with the T20 World Cup to follow in February-March in India and Sri Lanka.
England confirmed the schedule for their white-ball tour of Sri Lanka in January-February next year. England will be playing three ODIs, followed by as many T20Is, starting January 22, two weeks after the final day of the fifth and final Ashes Test in Sydney. The tour swiftly transitions into the T20 World Cup, with the T20I series set to take place from January 30 to February 3.
The venues for the series and the matches are yet to be announced, but since Sri Lanka are co-host for the T20 World Cup in February-March, the six white-ball matches might go to different venues, which might not be hosting the World Cup matches. These six games will help the England players get back into the white-ball rhythm and more importantly, get them accustomed to the sub-continent conditions ahead of the World Cup.
SL vs ENG white-ball series schedule
| Date | Fixture |
| January 22, 2026 | 1st ODI |
| January 24, 2026 | 2nd ODI |
| January 27, 2026 | 3rd ODI |
| January 30, 2026 | 1st T20I |
| February 1, 2026 | 2nd T20I |
| February 3, 2026 | 3rd T20I |
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England are scheduled to play four white-ball assignments in the run-up to the T20 World Cup. England will take on South Africa in three ODIs and as many T20Is in September at home, before embarking on a short tour of Ireland for three T20I matches. Following a month’s break, England will tour New Zealand for three ODIs and as many T20Is in October, bleeding into November before the Ashes.
England have begun the new era under Harry Brook with series wins against the West Indies in ODIs and T20Is but the tougher tests await them next month against South Africa. The Proteas are currently matching Australia toe-to-toe in the latter’s own backyard and England will need to be at their best as the kick off the preparation for the T20 World Cup.
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