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2nd ODI | England vs Sri Lanka ODI Series 2026 | Headingley, Leeds | 24 September 2026
Joe Root walks into Headingley with a sub-continental average of 67.85 against Sri Lanka and six straight ODI innings past fifty. Harry Brook captains an England side built around his own unbeaten 136 from Colombo in January, while Jofra Archer arrives ranked third in the world for ODI bowlers. Sri Lanka counter with Pathum Nissanka’s calm top-order class and Wanindu Hasaranga’s control, even as questions linger over captain Kusal Mendis’s fitness. Headingley’s chase-friendly history adds another layer to how this contest could swing.
Joe Root has barely put a foot wrong against Sri Lankan bowling for the better part of a decade. His average against these opponents sits at 67.85 from 32 matches, the best return among Englishmen with a thousand runs against them, and he arrives on six straight ODI innings of fifty or more.
Captain Harry Brook already has a signature knock behind him, an unbeaten 136 in Colombo that anchored a 191-run stand with Root, while Jos Buttler brings 172 runs from this month’s T20 series, more than any other player on either side. Between the three of them, England’s top order carries both the experience and the recent form to set the tone.
Jofra Archer arrives third in the world’s ODI bowling rankings and with 70 wickets from 39 matches for England, numbers that make him the most dangerous new-ball option in this series. He was the leading wicket-taker in this year’s IPL with 25 scalps for Rajasthan Royals, proof that his pace and control have lost nothing.
Jamie Overton returns after a thigh injury that ruled him out of the India series, while Henry Crocombe earns his first ODI call-up on the back of back-to-back County Championship hat-tricks. Between an established spearhead and two fresh options, England’s attack looks sharper and deeper than it has in months.
Pathum Nissanka gives the tourists their most reliable top-order option, with two fifties from four ODI innings so far this year and a career average of 41.08 across 78 matches. He has quietly built a habit of starting series well, which matters against an England attack eager to strike early.
Kusal Mendis remains named as captain despite the hamstring injury that ruled him out of the T20I leg, and Sri Lanka Cricket has offered no formal word on his fitness. Charith Asalanka, who led the side through the shorter format, offers cover at the top if Mendis is not declared fit in time.
Wanindu Hasaranga has taken 113 wickets in 71 ODIs at an average of 24.84, with four five-wicket hauls to his name, and he remains Sri Lanka’s most disciplined bowler in the closing overs. He picked up two wickets across the recent T20I series and reached his 100th cap in the format only days ago.
If England’s middle order looks to accelerate in the last ten overs, it will be Hasaranga they have to get past first. His economy and his record of taking wickets in clusters make him the one Sri Lankan bowler who can change a match in a handful of deliveries.
Headingley has leaned towards the chasing side across its ODI history, with the team batting second winning 26 of roughly fifty matches played there. Recent totals have crept higher too, with the last five completed innings averaging well above the old benchmark of 208, suggesting the pitch continues to reward stroke-makers through the middle overs.
| Player | Team | Recent Form | Key Stat |
| Joe Root | ENG | 60+ in last six ODI innings | Career ODI average of 67.85 vs Sri Lanka |
| Harry Brook | ENG | Unbeaten 136 in January’s Colombo ODI | Captaincy record of 23 wins from 26 T20I matches |
| Pathum Nissanka | SL | Two fifties in four ODI innings this year | Career average of 41.08 from 78 matches |
| Wanindu Hasaranga | SL | Two wickets in the T20I series | 113 ODI wickets at an average of 24.84 |
Form, fitness and a ground that rewards big totals all point to a tight finish on Wednesday. Whichever side wins the battle between its England vs Sri Lanka ODI 2026 key players will likely settle the contest before the final over is bowled.
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Who are England’s most important players for this Sri Lanka ODI series?
Joe Root, Harry Brook and Jofra Archer carry the biggest weight for England. Root averages 67.85 against Sri Lanka in ODIs, and Archer currently ranks third in the world for ODI bowling.
Is Joe Root playing in the ODI series against Sri Lanka?
Yes, Root is included in England’s sixteen-man ODI squad for all three matches. He was left out of the T20I squad but returns specifically for the fifty-over series.
What time does the second England vs Sri Lanka ODI start?
The second ODI gets underway at 11:30 AM GMT on 24 September. That is 12:30 PM local time in Leeds and 5:00 PM for viewers watching in India.
Where is the second ODI between England and Sri Lanka being played?
The match is being played at Headingley in Leeds. The series opener was held at Chester-le-Street, with the third and final match moving to The Oval.
Who is captaining Sri Lanka in the ODI series in England?
Kusal Mendis is named as Sri Lanka’s ODI captain despite a recent hamstring injury. He missed the T20I leg entirely, with Charith Asalanka leading the side in his absence.
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