Sri Lanka didn’t have a great time ahead of the T20 World Cup 2026 as their pacer has been ruled out of the event after picking up the injury during the home three-match T20I series against England. This is the final preparation for the co-host and the Three Lions right before the competition. England has sealed the series already by a 2-0 insurmountable margin.  

It was a rain-affected game at the Pallekele International Cricket Stadium in Kandy, where the massive blow came after the rain delay when Eshan Malinga dislocated his shoulder on the very first ball after the break. The bowler slips a high full toss and tumbles onto the ground instantly, clutching his left shoulder.

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That ball was tucked into the deep square for a single, but the bowler looked in serious pain. The physio came out to check the condition before he was helped off the field. It has been reported that he would miss the tournament with the shoulder injury, and he will travel to Colombo for scans.

Eshan Malinga likely to miss T20 World Cup 2026 for Sri Lanka

Malinga is expected to be out of action for nearly six to eight weeks. It’s a setback for the team as they look for a few replacements in the event. Dilshan Madushanka is a probable name that has come out of the list with the left-arm pacer picking 15 wickets in 15 innings of the shortest format at an economy rate of 9.75. However, his last T20I came in July 2024 against India at Kandy.

Eshan Malinga is likely to be ruled out of World Cup after dislocating his shoulder last night. The player will travel to Colombo for scans and it’s believed he will be out of action for four to six weeks. Either Dilshan Madushanka or Pramod Madushan is likely to replace him.

— Rex Clementine (@RexClementine) February 2, 2026

Another option for them will be Pramod Madhusan, who has bagged 12 wickets in eight T20I innings at an economy rate of 8.63. However, he is also not a regular member of the national side in the shortest format, with the previous assignment being in April 2023 against New Zealand in Queenstown.

Sri Lanka will begin their campaign on February 08 at the R. Premadasa Stadium against Ireland before heading to Kandy for the morning fixture against Oman on February 12. Their third game will be against Australia at the same venue before returning to Colombo against Zimbabwe.

Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) has locked its 15-member squad for the upcoming T20 World Cup 2026 under the leadership of Dasun Shanaka. Most of the formation of the team will remain the same from the squad that featured in the three-match T20I series against England at home, as preparation for the ICC event.

Kusal Perera marks his return to the national side in the shortest format after his previous series against Pakistan away from home. In 91 innings of the format, the veteran has smashed a total of 2312 runs at an average of 26.57 and a strike rate of 132.87 with the help of 16 half-centuries and one century at the best score of 101 runs.

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Pavan Ratnayake, who celebrated a fine knock of 121 runs during the third ODI in Colombo against England in the recent home series, has been selected for the ICC event, despite a weak performance of eight runs in three games in his career. In 25 T20s, he has added 253 runs at a strike rate of 100, thanks to the best score of 42 runs.

Sri Lanka name strong 15-member squad for T20 WC 2026

The pressure will be on the leader, Shanaka, to provide a vital contribution with the bat in the lower order and offer a few vital overs if required. Wanindu Hasaranga is another player who needs to pick wickets consistently in the middle overs, having picked up 151 wickets in 91 innings at an average of 15.92 and an economy rate of under seven.

Sri Lanka will begin their tournament on February 08 against Ireland at the R Premadasa Cricket Stadium in Colombo before facing Oman three days later at the Pallekele International Cricket Stadium in Kandy. Their third group-stage encounter will be against Australia at the same venue and Zimbabwe in Colombo.  

Sri Lanka’s squad for T20 World Cup 2026

Pathum Nissanka, Kusal Mendis, Kusal Janith Perara, Charith Asalanka, Kamil Mishra, Pavan Rathayake, Janith Liyanage, Dasun Shanaka (captain), Kamindu Mendis, Dushmantha Chameera, Matheesha Pathirana, Eshan Malinga, Wanindu Hasaranga, Maheesh Theekshana, Dunith Wellalage.

Former Test cricketer Malinda Pushpakumara reached a major milestone in domestic cricket by taking 1,000 wickets in First-class cricket. He is now the fourth Sri Lankan to achieve this record and the third active player to do so. Pushpakumara is 38 years old and last played for Sri Lanka in 2018.

He reached the milestone while playing for Badureliya Sports Club against Moors Sports Club in the Sri Lanka Major League three-day tournament. With this achievement, he joined an elite group of Sri Lankan bowlers that includes Muthiah Muralidharan (1,374 wickets), Rangana Herath (1,080 wickets), and Dinuka Hettiarachchi (1,001 wickets).

Pushpakumara also has one of the best strike rates among bowlers who have taken 1,000 wickets. When he reached the milestone, he was 11th on the all-time list. All bowlers with better strike rates than him played before the First World War.

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Pushpakumara third active player to reach the milestone

Coming into the match, the 38-year-old Malinda Pushpakumara had 998 wickets. He finished the match with figures of 7/137 and took his total to 1,005 wickets. He became the 218th player to reach 1,000 wickets in first-class (red-ball) cricket, but he is only the third active player to achieve this milestone.

The other two active players to reach this mark are Simon Harmer of South Africa and James Anderson of England. Harmer achieved the feat last year, while Anderson reached it in 2021. Among active players, the next closest after Pushpakumara is Australia spinner Nathan Lyon, who has 860 wickets in first-class cricket.

Pushpakumara’s international career

Pushpakumara has played four Test matches and two ODIs for Sri Lanka. He made his Test debut against India in August 2017 and picked up five wickets across the two innings he bowled against them. He also played two Test matches against England and took nine wickets in four innings. His last Test appearance came in November 2018 against England.

In ODIs, Pushpakumara played two matches, both against India, in August and September 2017. Although his international career was short, he has been a consistent performer in domestic cricket.

1,000 first-class wickets at sub-40 strike rate

Below are the bowlers with 1,000 or more first-class wickets and a strike rate under 40. Numbers are updated until Pushpakumara reached the milestone.

Pushpakumara also holds one of the best first-class bowling records on Sri Lankan soil. In the 2018/19 season, he became only the second bowler, after Pramodya Wickramasinghe, to take all ten wickets in an innings in Sri Lanka.

The T20 World Cup 2026 begins on February 07 with Pakistan locking horns with the Netherlands in the curtain raiser at the SSC stadium in Colombo. On the same day, India will feature in their opening clash against the United States of America at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai under the leadership of Suryakumar Yadav.

India is in the ‘Group A’ alongside Namibia, USA, Netherlands, and arch-rivals, Pakistan. While in Group B, Australia, Sri Lanka, Zimbabwe, Ireland, and Oman find their place to keep fighting among themselves. Meanwhile, England, the West Indies, Bangladesh, Italy, and Nepal are part of Group C. On the other hand, South Africa, New Zealand, Afghanistan, Canada, and the UAE participate in Group D.

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All the Group B matches, featuring the co-hosts Sri Lanka, will take place across the Island venues. All of the games for Pakistan will also be played in Sri Lanka. If they qualify for the semifinal, Colombo’s R. Premadasa Stadium will replace Kolkata as the host of the first semifinal. If they reach the final, the venue will also shift to Colombo from the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad.

Full squads of T20 World Cup 2026 teams

As of December 22, only the defending champions, India, have become the first team to announce their 15-member squad for the Men’s T20 World Cup 2026, while the fellow co-hosts, Sri Lanka, have declared their preliminary 25-member group on December 19. The latter has changed their captain to Dasun Shanaka for the competition, with Charith Asalanka stepping down from the position.

Till now, the USA, Namibia, Netherlands, Pakistan, Australia, Zimbabwe, Ireland, Oman, England, West Indies, Bangladesh, Italy, and Nepal have yet to announce their squads. The last date to reveal it is January 07, which is exactly a month before the beginning of the T20 World Cup 2026. However, teams can change the players accordingly till January 30, after which they will need to consult the ICC and their medical authorities for any such decision.

ICC T20 World Cup 2026 squads

India: Suryakumar Yadav (c), Abhishek Sharma, Tilak Varma, Sanju Samson, Shivam Dube, Ishan Kishan, Hardik Pandya, Arshdeep Singh, Jasprit Bumrah, Harshit Rana, Varun Chakaravarthy, Kuldeep Yadav, Axar Patel, Washington Sundar, Rinku Singh.

Sri Lanka (Preliminary): Dasun Shanaka (c), Pathum Nissanka, Kusal Mendis, Kamil Mishara, Kusal Perera, Dhananjaya de Silva, Niroshan Dickwella, Janith Liyanage, Charith Asalanka, Kamindu Mendis, Pavan Rathnayake, Sahan Arachchige, Wanindu Hasaranga, Dunith Wellalage, Milan Rathnayake, Nuwan Thushara, Eshan Malinga, Dushmantha Chameera, Pramod Madushan, Matheesha Pathirana, Dilshan Madushanka, Maheesh Theekshana, Dushan Hemantha, Vijayakanth Viyaskanth, Traveen Mathew.

England: Harry Brook (c), Rehan Ahmed, Jofra Archer, Tom Banton, Jacob Bethell, Jos Buttler, Sam Curran, Liam Dawson, Ben Duckett, Will Jacks, Jamie Overton, Adil Rashid, Phil Salt, Josh Tongue, Luke Wood

Australia: Mitchell Marsh (C), Xavier Bartlett, Cooper Connolly, Pat Cummins, Tim David, Cameron Green, Nathan Ellis, Josh Hazlewood, Travis Head, Josh Inglis, Matthew Kuhnemann, Glenn Maxwell, Matthew Short, Marcus Stoinis, Adam Zampa

Afghanistan: Rashid Khan (C), Noor Ahmad, Abdullah Ahmadzai, Sediqullah Atal, Fazalhaq Farooqi, Rahmanullah Gurbaz, Naveen Ul Haq, Mohammad Ishaq, Shahidullah Kamal, Mohammad Nabi, Gulbadin Naib, Azmatullah Omarzai, Mujeeb Ur Rahman, Darwish Rasooli, Ibrahim Zadran

Oman: Jatinder Singh (c), Vinayak Shukla, Mohammad Nadeem, Shakeel Ahmad, Hammad Mirza, Wasim Ali, Karan Sonavale, Shah Faisal, Nadeem Khan, Sufyan Mehmood, Jay Odedra, Shafiq Jan, Ashish Odedara, Jiten Ramanandi, Hasnain Ali Shah.

Sri Lanka announced a squad of 25 members for the upcoming T20I World Cup, which is scheduled to start on February 7, 2026. Ahead of that, the Sri Lankan cricket board has taken some significant steps. Along with announcing the tentative squad, they chose their captain for the elite tournament as well. They picked Dasun Shanaka as their captain for the team. 

While announcing the probable squad, Sri Lanka Cricket Team's Chief Selector Pramodaya Wickramasinghe informed that their previous captain Charith Asalanka's form is not satisfying, so he has been removed from the captaincy. On the other hand, Shanaka's recent form is brilliant, and he has the experience of the World Cup as well. So the board again appoints him as the skipper. 

Sri Lanka is in a tough group in the upcoming T20I World Cup. Australia, Zimbabwe, Ireland, and Oman are in the same group with Sri Lanka. From every group, the top two teams will qualify for the next round. This time the World Cup will be jointly hosted by India and Sri Lanka, so the Sri Lankan team will play most of its matches at home. 

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Groups for the T20 World Cup 2026:

Group A: India, Pakistan, Namibia, United States, Netherlands.

Group B: Sri Lanka, Australia, Ireland, Zimbabwe, Oman.

Group C: England, West Indies, Bangladesh, Nepal, and Italy.

Group D: South Africa, New Zealand, Afghanistan, Canada, and United Arab Emirates.

Sri Lanka's 25-member squad for the T20I World Cup 2026:

Dasun Shanaka (captain), Pathum Nissanka, Kusal Mendis, Kamil Mishara, Kusal Perera, Dhananjaya de Silva, Niroshan Dickwella, Janith Liyanage, Charith Asalanka, Kamindu Mendis, Pawan Rathnayake, Sahan Arachchige, Wanindu Hasaranga, Dunith Wellalage, Milan Rathnayake, Nuwan Thushara, Ishan Malinga, Dushmantha Chameera, Pramod Madushan, Matheesha Pathirana, Dilshan Madushanka, Maheesh Theekshana, Dushan Hemantha, Vijayakanth Vyaskanth, and Traveen Mathew.

While the ICC Men's T20 World Cup 2026 is just less than two months away from beginning, co-hosts Sri Lanka added a former Indian coach to the team in the hope of developing the team stronger for the upcoming T20 World Cup. 

R. Sridhar joins Sri Lanka national cricket team

Former Hyderabad cricketer and the former popular fielding coach of the Indian men's national cricket team, Ramakrishnan Sridhar, popularly known as R. Sridhar, has joined the Sri Lankan men's national cricket team.

R. Sridhar is a BCCI Level 3 qualified coach who was the Indian fielding coach from 2014 to 2021. Under his tenure, where India played more than 300 international matches, including several important ICC tournaments, the fielding standards for the Men in Blues were remarkable.

Sridhar joining the Sri Lankan team isn't shocking, as the former Indian fielding coach worked in a 10-day fielding programme at the SLC National High Performance Centre early this calendar year, where the players from senior, women’s, and youth teams were actively present. 

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My role is not to impose a system: R Sridhar

The Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) has confirmed R. Sridhar's addition to the team as the contract will run till the end of the ICC Men's T20 World Cup 2026, which India and Sri Lanka will jointly host the tournament from February 7 to March 8, 2026. 

Sridhar said in an official SLC statement, "Sri Lankan players have always stood for instinctive brilliance, resilience, and collective spirit. My role is not to impose a system, but to nurture an environment where athleticism, awareness, and pride in the field can grow naturally."

Sridhar further added, "Fielding thrives when players feel connected to the ball, to each other, and to the moment. Sri Lanka's traditional strengths - quick hands, sharp reflexes, and fearless intent, can be further enhanced by creating realistic, game-like learning environments."

Sri Lanka are in Group B of the ICC Men's T20 World Cup 2026, where they will face Australia, Zimbabwe, Ireland, and Oman. 

Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) has made an official announcement regarding the rescheduled dates of the sixth season of the Lanka Premier League (LPL). The tournament is now set to be held from July 8 to August 8, 2026. This move signifies a return to the league's usual mid-summer period, a timeframe that proved to be highly advantageous during previous seasons, including the 2023 one.

The shift in schedule is a result of SLC's decision to delay the tournament from late November to late December 2025, which was initially planned for the first week of December. This postponement was necessary as Sri Lanka is set to partner with India in the co-hosting arrangement for the ICC Men's T20 World Cup 2026. The global tournament is planned for the months of February and March 2026, and the SLC has made the revelation of the venue’s readiness and related infrastructural revamping at the three chosen World Cup venues a priority.

LPL rescheduled as Sri Lanka focuses on World Cup venues

The renovation project of the R. Premadasa International Cricket Stadium (RPICS) in Colombo had already been put on hold due to Sri Lanka’s commitment as a co-host of the 2025 Women’s ODI World Cup. Now, with another major ICC event approaching, SLC is directing all its efforts towards ensuring the timely completion of all stadium improvements, even if it means finishing ahead of the projected timeline. The board has pointed out that the requirement of meticulous planning for the hosting of back-to-back ICC events makes the alteration of the LPL schedule a very significant act.

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In an official press release, SLC confirmed that this action was taken with a view to the wider national cricketing priorities. The board stated, "The postponement was made with the requirement of preparing the host venues of the ICC Men's T20 World Cup 2026 well in advance, which directly justifies the league's mid-year return, constituting several previous editions."

The preparations are still there, and the attention is not just on the teams for the upcoming season, but also on team changes. The four franchises, Colombo Kaps, Dambulla Sixers, Galle Marvels, and Kandy Falcons, have already decided on the 2026 season. Meanwhile, the Jaffna franchise, formerly known as the Jaffna Kings, remains in an uncertain future after SLC's decision to terminate the contract between them. The former owner, Lyca Group, was found unfit and was thus removed from the board. It is still unknown if SLC will rebrand the Jaffna team or if it will be completely replaced with a new franchise.

SLC is looking to the revamped dates to give both the LPL and the T20 World Cup the strategic attention and planning they need, thus ensuring a successful cricketing calendar for 2026.

PAK vs SL Pakistan T20I Tri-Series  Match Preview:

Pakistan and Sri Lanka will face each other in the final of the T20 tri-series at the Rawalpindi Stadium on November 29, 2025. SL defeated Pakistan by 6 runs in their most recent encounter to make a remarkable comeback and secure a spot in the final. SL fast bowler Dushmantha Chameera took 4 wickets in that match, which proved to be the key to his team's progress to the final. SL's batting had been lacklustre in previous matches, but the team has gained confidence before the final.

Pakistan's strength is evident in their recent form—opener Sahibzada Farhan has scored the most runs in T20S this year and is also the top scorer in the tri-series. Furthermore, bowlers like Mohammad Nawaz and Abrar Ahmed have shown good control, giving Pakistan a balanced side in the match.

PAK vs SL Recent Performance:

PAK vs SL Pakistan T20I Tri-Series  Match Details:

• Series/Tournament: Pakistan T20I Tri-Series 
• Match: PAK vs SL Final Match
• Date: 29 Nov. 2025
• Match Start Time: 6:30 PM IST
• Stadium/Venue: Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium, Rawalpindi, Pakistan
• Live Score: cricketwinner.com
• Live Streaming: Sports TV.

PAK vs SL Head-to-Head Stats:

(Last 10 Matches)

PAK vs SL Pitch & Weather Report:

There is a chance of rain and clouds during today's match. The forecast is for the temperature to reach around 15°C. Based on previous statistics, the average score at this venue ranges between 138 and 152 runs. The pitch provides good support to both batters and pacers.

Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium Stats: 

The Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium pitch is balanced. There are equal opportunities for both batsmen and bowlers on the pitch. Winning the toss and opting to bowl first will be a wise decision on this surface.      

PAK vs SL Dream11 Prediction Playing 11

Pakistan (PAK) Probable 11:

1. Sahibzada Farhan, 2. Saim Ayub, 3. Babar Azam, 4. Faheem Ashraf, 5. Mohammad Nawaz, 6. Agha Salman(C), 7. Fakhar Zaman, 8. Usman Khan-Shinwari(WK), 9. Muhammad Wasim, 10. Salman Mirza, 11. Abrar Ahmed

Sri Lanka (SL) Probable 11:

1. Pathum Nissanka, 2. Kamil Mishara(WK), 3. Kusal Mendis(WK), 4. Kusal Perera(WK), 5. Janith Liyanage, 6. Dasun Shanaka(C), 7. Pavan Rathnayake, 8. Wanindu Hasaranga, 9. Dushmantha Chameera, 10. Maheesh Theekshana, 11. Eshan Malinga

PAK vs SL- Top Picks from PAK

PAK vs SL- Top Picks from SL

Cricket Winner Player’s Insight:

Sahibzada Farhann (PAK) is the highest run-scorer for Pakistan in T20I matches this year.

Mohammad Nawaz (PAK) has put all the opposition batsmen in trouble with his spin bowling. This left-arm bowler is our top priority.

Pathum Nissanka (SL) will open the innings for SL. So far in this series, he has scored 123 runs at a strike rate of 132.26.

Wanindu Hasaranga (SL) is the most experienced all-rounder in the Sri Lankan team and can win matches with his bowling skills.

PAK vs SL Captain & Vice-Captain Choices:

PAK vs SL Fantasy Team Suggestion:  

PAK vs SL Dream11 Prediction Expert Advice 

PAK vs SL Dream11 Prediction Probable Winners:

PAK is expected to win this match. Even though Sri Lanka won the last game, Farhan's excellent form is always a positive for Pakistan. Furthermore, they have the advantage of playing on their own ground.

PAK vs SL Final Match FAQ

Who is likely to win the PAK vs SL match today?

Pakistan (PAK) is expected to win this match.

Who is ahead in head-to-head stats?    

Pakistan

Who are the top fantasy picks for the PAK vs SL Dream11 team?

Sahibzada Farhann, Mohammad Nawaz, Pathum Nissanka, Wanindu Hasaranga, Babar Azam and Dushmantha Chameera

What is the pitch report for this match?

The surface is balanced, and we can expect an average score range between 138 and 152 runs.

The Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) has revealed that the board had assured the players of their safety and also instructed the team to continue playing matches as scheduled. The board had also laid out that any member of the touring parties who defied their instruction would need to go through a review. This happened following the suicide bombing in Islamabad.

Deliberations went late in the evening of November 12 regarding the future of the trip, with the players and the management of the SLC officials, and the security officials of Pakistan being involved in the discussion. With logistics being thrown off, the remaining two ODIs of the series have been pushed by a day.

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“Following this development, SLC immediately engaged with the players and assured them that all such concerns are being duly addressed in close coordination with the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) and the relevant authorities to ensure the safety and well-being of every member of the touring party.” SL released the statement.

Sri Lanka to face Pakistan in remaining ODIs on November 14 and 16

The chairman of the PCB, Mohsin Naqvi, who is also the country’s interior minister, has met the Sri Lanka players to reassure them regarding their safety and encourage them to continue the tour. The PCB also released a statement detailing that the briefing on the security provided to the Sri Lanka team has been provided.

“If any player, players, or member of the support staff return despite SLC's directives, a formal review will be conducted to assess their actions, and an appropriate decision will be made upon the conclusion of the review,” SLC added in the official statement.

Sri Lanka suffered a terrorist attack in Pakistan in 2009 in Lahore, and was among the first teams to resume their trips to Pakistan after the long exile. In the opening Rawalpindi ODI, the hosts held their nerve for a six-run victory against Sri Lanka to go 1-0 up in the series. Salman Agha celebrated a fine century after they lost four wickets under 100 runs, including former captain and veteran batter Babar Azam.