SL vs ENG T20 World Cup 2026 Live: Can Sri Lanka Break England’s 11-Match Winning Run Amid Rain Threat in Pallekele?

Cricket fans brace for a blockbuster Super 8 showdown tonight as Sri Lanka (SL) welcome reigning champions England (ENG) to Pallekele in Match 42 of the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026. First ball is scheduled for 01:30 AM local time (20:00 GMT) at the picturesque Pallekele International Cricket Stadium in Kandy, a venue where both sides have tasted success but only one can keep knockout hopes alive today. Weather & pitch update The hill-country skies are overcast with intermittent showers predicted around the toss window, but ground staff insist the outfield drains quickly and a full 20-over contest remains likely. Historically, Pallekele offers early swing under lights before flattening out, making power-play wickets and death-over yorkers pivotal. Form guide & head-to-head England arrive on a ten-match global tournament winning streak and have beaten Sri Lanka in their last three T20Is, including a 12-run thriller earlier this month in Colombo. Sri Lanka, buoyed by home crowds, stunned Australia in the group stage and will lean on spin twins Wanindu Hasaranga and Maheesh Theekshana to upset the odds tonight. Probable XIs Sri Lanka: Pathum Nissanka, Kusal Mendis (wk), Charith Asalanka, Sadeera Samarawickrama, Angelo Mathews, Dasun Shanaka (c), Wanindu Hasaranga, Chamika Karunaratne, Maheesh Theekshana, Dilshan Madushanka, Matheesha Pathirana. England: Jos Buttler (c/wk), Phil Salt, Dawid Malan, Harry Brook, Ben Stokes, Liam Livingstone, Moeen Ali, Sam Curran, Chris Woakes, Adil Rashid, Mark Wood. Key match-ups to watch • Buttler vs Madushanka: England’s skipper has struck at 180 in the power-play this tournament, but left-armer Madushanka owns eight wickets in that phase. • Hasaranga vs Stokes: The leg-spinner dismissed the all-rounder twice in two meetings this season—momentum could hinge on their middle-over duel. • Wood vs Nissanka: Wood’s express pace (avg 149 kph) against the anchor who tops Sri Lanka’s run charts sets the tone for both camps. How to watch & live score The match is live on Star Sports, Sky Sports Cricket and ICC.tv; digital streaming is available via Disney+ Hotstar in India, NOW TV in the UK and the ICC mobile app worldwide. Ball-by-ball commentary and real-time analytics are also free on ESPNcricinfo’s live blog. SEO takeaway Search for “SL vs ENG live”, “Sri Lanka vs England T20 World Cup 2026”, “Pallekele weather today”, “SL vs ENG streaming”, and “Super 8 match 42 preview” to stay updated as the action unfolds.