ENG vs SL 2nd ODI Match Prediction, Pitch Report & Fantasy Tips – Who Will Win?

England go 1-0 up in the series after an 89-run win in the opener, and Joe Root’s remarkable year with the bat, 569 runs at an average close to 95, has this England side looking almost unstoppable across formats right now.

Match Preview

England head to Headingley with a 1-0 series lead after a comfortable 89-run win over Sri Lanka in the opener, and they will look to seal the series here in Leeds.

Joe Root continues to be in remarkable form, with 569 runs this season at an average close to 95. Harry Brook has also been excellent, scoring 457 runs at an average of 50.78. England’s batting depth has been a huge strength throughout this series, and their bowlers backed that up well in the first ODI too.

Sri Lanka have had a difficult run, with just one win in their last five matches, though Pathum Nissanka remains a genuine threat at the top of the order, scoring 402 runs this season at an average of 44.67. Kusal Mendis, now leading the side, has also chipped in with 312 runs of his own.

With the ball, Will Jacks and Jamie Overton have both chipped in nicely for England, taking 9 wickets each this season. Sri Lanka will lean on Dushmantha Chameera, who has 10 wickets at an economy just over 6, to try and keep England’s strong batting line-up quiet.

England go into this as clear favourites given their form and a 1-0 series lead, and a win here would seal the series with a match to spare.

Match Details

Here are the key details for the ENG vs SL 2nd ODI.

ENG vs SL Pitch Report – Headingley, Leeds

The Headingley pitch is generally balanced, with strong assistance for seamers early on, while batting becomes easier once the new ball softens.

Venue data across 49 ODIs here shows an average first-innings score of 226, with 27 wins for teams bowling first compared to just 19 for teams batting first. That is a clear historical lean toward bowling first and chasing at this ground.

The most recent ODI here was especially tough for batting. England were bowled out for just 131 against South Africa in September 2025, before South Africa completed a seven-wicket win. Wiaan Mulder took 3/33 and Keshav Maharaj added 4/22, which shows that Headingley can reward both new-ball seam and spin once the surface starts to grip. The ODI before that, against Australia, went the other way, with Australia making 270 before bowling England out for 202, which highlights just how much scoring here depends on overhead conditions and the exact pitch on the day.

For current conditions, 250-265 is a fair competitive par, 275-plus is strong, and 290-plus would be excellent on a dry, firm pitch. Under cloud, moisture or fresh grass, that range can fall to 220-240 because of the swing and seam movement on offer. Fast bowling, hard lengths and cutters should matter most early on, while quality spin can become dangerous later in the innings.

👉Pitch Report Sourced From: CricBuzz 

ENG vs SL Recent Form

The recent results of both teams provide some context ahead of the second ODI.

👉 Data Sourced From: ESPNcricinfo

ENG vs SL Head-to-Head Record

England have dominated the recent head-to-head meetings between the two teams.

👉 Data Sourced From: ESPNcricinfo

ENG vs SL Probable Playing XI

The probable playing XIs for the second ODI are as follows.

England:

Tom Banton (WK), Ben Duckett, Joe Root, Harry Brook (C), Jos Buttler (WK), Will Jacks, Rehan Ahmed, Jamie Overton, Gus Atkinson, Jofra Archer, Josh Tongue

Sri Lanka:

Pathum Nissanka, Kamindu Mendis, Kusal Mendis (C & WK), Pavan Rathnayake, Charith Asalanka, Janith Liyanage, Dunith Wellalage, Dushmantha Chameera, Sachindu Colombage, Asitha Fernando, Dilshan Madushanka

Top Picks for ENG vs SL Fantasy Team

These players stand out based on their recent performances and season statistics.

Top Batting Picks

• Joe Root (ENG, BAT) — 569 runs this season at an outstanding average close to 95. The most in-form batter in this contest by a distance.
• Harry Brook (ENG, BAT) — 457 runs at an average of 50.78 this season. England’s captain and a key batting option.
• Pathum Nissanka (SL, BAT) — 402 runs at an average of 44.67 this season. Sri Lanka’s most consistent batter.
• Kusal Mendis (SL, BAT/WK) — 312 runs at an average of 39 this season. Sri Lanka’s captain and a dependable option.

Top Bowling Picks

• Dushmantha Chameera (SL, BOWL) — 10 wickets this season at an economy just over 6. Sri Lanka’s leading wicket-taker.
• Jamie Overton (ENG, ALL/BOWL) — 9 wickets at an economy of 5.77 this season.
• Will Jacks (ENG, ALL/BOWL) — 9 wickets at an economy of 5.22 this season, in addition to his batting ability.
• Asitha Fernando (SL, BOWL) — 9 wickets at an economy of 6.7 this season.

ENG vs SL Best Fantasy Team

Here is a suggested fantasy team for the ENG vs SL 2nd ODI.

Captain and Vice-Captain Choices

• Captain: Joe Root
• Vice-Captain: Dushmantha Chameera

ENG vs SL Toss Prediction

Prediction: Bowl first

Headingley has a clear historical lean toward bowling first, with 27 of 49 completed ODIs here won by the side bowling first. The most recent ODI at this ground was won comfortably by the chasing side too, and with early seam movement being such a consistent theme here, bowling first and chasing remains the stronger option unless the pitch looks unusually dry and flat.

ENG vs SL Today Match Prediction

Prediction: England to Win 

England go into this with a 1-0 series lead and Joe Root in the form of his life. Their batting depth and a well-balanced bowling attack make them clear favourites once again to move closer to sealing the series.

Sri Lanka do have some quality in Pathum Nissanka and Kusal Mendis, and Dushmantha Chameera has shown he can trouble any batting line-up with the ball. But Sri Lanka’s inconsistent recent form, just one win in their last five, makes it hard to see them turning this series around unless their top order clicks together properly.

With home advantage and the momentum from the first ODI, England should have enough to move 2-0 up in this series.