In flashing bright neon the warning signs are there, clear for all to see. And if you’re of Sri Lankan persuasion, the overhead announcement is likely already underway to assume the brace position ahead of the upcoming spate of white-ball fixtures against England. This one won’t be easy, folks.

Sri Lanka’s last white-ball tour of England came in 2021, and if the two thumping defeats in their warm-up fixtures to England Lions are anything to go by it seems they would do well to steer clear of a similar whitewash. Another fairly obvious omen is Sri Lanka’s recent T20I record, which has seen 10 losses across their 15 completed matches this year.

Against England, meanwhile, they have lost each of their past 12 T20Is with their last victory coming at The Oval back in May 2014 – one of three victories away to England in seven attempts.

Then we get to England’s current form, which has seen them as recently as this past July drub the reigning world champions, India, 4-0. So yeah, it’s hard not to fear the worst for the visitors.

The weather, expected to be wet, could be a buffer of sorts, while the pitches towards the end of the English summer are potentially now drier and – Sri Lanka hope – might aid spin. Indeed, the Lankans have stacked their squad with four spin-bowling options, and will be banking heavily on the likes of Maheesh Theekshana and Wanindu Hasaranga – both of whom sat out the warm up games – to stymie an English batting unit that seems to be permanently stuck in top gear.

But this a Lankan unit with the capacity to land hefty blows. Even in the absence of talismanic skipper Kusal Mendis, Sri Lanka have genuine firepower at the top of the order in Pathum Nissanka and Kamil Mishara, while the return of Charith Asalanka – catapulted from outcast to skipper in the span of a few months – offers grit and power in the middle.

The question however will be if they’re able to perform at the level needed consistently enough to challenge a finely-tuned English white-ball machine.

While the focus might usually be on how Sri Lanka handle pace and bounce ahead of an England tour, at the tail end of particularly hot summer, it’s Adil Rashid’s legbreaks that might have the visitors sweating. While the traditional view of subcontinental teams is that they are competent players of spin, when it comes to Rashid and Sri Lanka that narrative has been flipped on its head.

Rashid enters this series in exceptional T20I form. In 2026, he has claimed 24 wickets while maintaining an overall economy rate of 7.98. Across 16 games in this period he’s gone wicketless just twice. But these numbers improve significantly when he faces Sri Lanka, against whom he has taken 17 wickets at an average of just 13.76 and strike rate of 15. More impressively, he has completely suffocated their scoring options, operating at an outstanding economy rate of 5.48 – by a distance his best against any side he has faced more than once.

In February Dushmantha Chameera recorded his career-best T20I figures of 5 for 24 against England in Pallekelle. He carried that momentum into the T20 World Cup, finishing the tournament with 10 wickets across six matches as Sri Lanka’s most reliable fast-bowling option. His 20wickets in 2026 have come at a strike rate of just 12.

However, Chameera’s immediate form heading into the opening T20I is worrying. Returning from a groin strain, he has looked understandably rusty during the recent warm-up games. In Chelmsford, he was taken apart for 34 runs in just 1.2 overs, followed by another tough outing at Beckenham where he conceded 23 runs in 1.2 overs without taking a wicket. If Chameera can shake off his recent match rust and find rhythm early on, his extra bounce and pace can genuinely trouble England’s top order. But if he struggles with his radar, a flat Southampton surface could prove punishing.

England have rung in the the changes, some enforced others by way of rotation. Phil Salt (quadriceps), Jacob Bethell (knee) and Sam Curran (groin) all miss out through injury, which sees Sonny Baker, Jamie Overton and debutant Aneurin Donald make their way in. There’s also a first T20I since October 2025 for Jordan Cox. Jofra Archer meanwhile gets a rest off the back of the Test series with Pakistan; he is expected to come in for Josh Tongue for the second T20I.

England:  Aneurin Donald,  Jos Buttler (capt & wk),  Harry Brook,  Tom Banton, Jordan Cox,  Will Jacks,  Jamie Overton,  Liam Dawson,  Josh Tongue,  Sonny Baker,  Adil Rashid

Sri Lanka are expected to go with five frontline bowling options, which indicates towards the inclusion of the ambidextrous spinner Tharindu Ratnayake, who impressed in the warm-up games with the bat.

Sri Lanka: (probable)  Pathum Nissanka,  Kamil Mishara (wk),  Kamindu Mendis,  Charith Asalanka (capt),  Janith Liyanage,  Dasun Shanaka  Tharindu Ratnayake  Wanindu Hasaranga  Maheesh Theekshana  Dushmantha Chameera  Eshan Malinga

[Cricinfo]

The “Mehewara Pasasum” programme to recognise Divisional Secretariats in the Eastern Province that demonstrated the highest level of performance in 2025 was held recently at the Swami Vipulananda Institute of Aesthetic Studies of the Eastern University, under the patronage of Prime Minister Dr Harini Amarasuriya. The programme was held as part of the initiative to decentralise President’s Fund services to the Divisional Secretariat level, with the aim of providing the public with a more efficient and prompt service.

Of the Divisional Secretariats in the three districts of Ampara, Batticaloa and Trincomalee, nine Divisional Secretariats, three from each district, were selected for recognition based on their efficiency in receiving President’s Fund applications and responding to them promptly.

Accordingly, the Sammanthurai Divisional Secretariat secured first place in the Ampara District, while the Addalachchenai Divisional Secretariat secured second place and the Kalmunai Divisional Secretariat third place.

In the Batticaloa District, first place was secured by the Kattankudy Divisional Secretariat, second place by the Manmunai North Divisional Secretariat and third place by the Koralaipattu Central Divisional Secretariat.

In the Trincomalee District, first place was secured by the Trincomalee Town and Gravets Divisional Secretariat, second place by the Kinniya Divisional Secretariat and third place by the Muttur Divisional Secretariat.

The first “Mehewara Pasasum” programme was held in Colombo, the second in Batticaloa, and this was the third programme.

Speaker Dr Jagath Wickramaratne, Minister of Industry and Entrepreneurship Development Sunil Handunnetti, Senior Additional Secretary to the President and Secretary to the President’s Fund Roshan Gamage, and a number of government officials and others were present at the occasion.

(PMD)

A commanding opening stand between Shafali Verma and Smriti Mandhana, followed by an excellent overall bowling effort, gave India their eighth Asia Cup title, fourth in T20 format, as they beat previous champions Sri Lanka by 72 runs in Dubai.

Shafali and Mandhana put up 129 for the first wicket, the highest partnership for any wicket in the Women’s T20 Asia Cup, to power India to 183 for 5. Sri Lanka’s chase never got going, despite India dropping as many as five catches, as the spin unit led by Deepti Sharmaand N Shree Charani kept them under control throughout. Chamari Athapaththu top-scored with 36, but Sri Lanka were eventually bowled out for 111. India now lead Sri Lanka 6-1 in Asia Cup final meetings.

Shafali set the tone after captain Harmanpreet Kaur opted to bat after winning the toss. When Sri Lanka introduced spin in the second over, both openers immediately attacked, picking up two boundaries. But Shafali combined power with placement in the third over, first using the pace on a short ball from outside off to guide it past short third, before clipping a length delivery through midwicket to make it back-to-back fours.

Athapaththu brought herself on in the fifth over but that brought little respite. Shafali got underneath a tossed-up delivery and launched it straight back over the bowler’s head before sending another ball in the slot over long-on. India raced to 57 without loss at the end of the powerplay.

The boundary-hitting continued after the powerplay too, with Shafali finding the ropes regularly on her way to a 24-ball fifty, the fastest half-century in Women’s T20 Asia Cup history. Mandhana, who had initially scored at around a run a ball, then joined in on the fun as she lofted a flighted delivery from Chamudi Praboda over long-on before bringing up her own half-century, off 36 balls, with a cut through the offside. India reached 98 without loss at the end of ten overs.

With India looking well on track for a 200-plus total, Sri Lanka finally made inroads in the 13th over when Praboda broke through, having Shafali mistime a shot to cover. India suffered another setback in the following over when Mandhana was run out for the third time in the tournament. Harmanpreet, coming in at No. 3, struck Athapaththu’s delivery straight to point and immediately set off for a single, but she hesitated midway before continuing, leaving Mandhana stranded as the throw came in. The mix-up ended Mandhana’s innings on 59, with Sri Lanka sending back both well-set openers in a space of six balls.

Sri Lanka could have had Richa Ghosh soon after but Kavisha Dilhari could not hold on to a difficult running catch. Ghosh had mistimed a slog sweep towards deep backward square leg, with Dilhari racing in and diving forward, only for the ball to slip from her hands as she hit the ground. Ghosh could not make the most of the reprieve as she scored 15 off 13 before picking out cover.

Sri Lanka did a better job at the death, restricting India and picking up the wickets of Harmanpreet and Deepti in successive deliveries in the 19th over. That brought G Kamalini, playing her first match in this Asia Cup and just her second T20I, to the crease and she managed a four and a six off the last two balls to take India to 183 for 5.

A chase of 184 was never going to be easy, but Imesha Dulani started the proceedings positively, shuffling across to a full delivery from Kranti Gaud and paddling it past short fine leg for four. But a similar attempt brought an end to her innings in the fourth ball of the over, with Dulani attempting a scoop only to miss the ball completely and watch it crash into the top of leg stump.

Earlier, Sri Lanka had suffered a setback when Vishmi Gunaratne appeared to roll her ankle while returning the ball and was carried off the field on a stretcher. She, however, came out to bat at No. 3, attempting to rebuild alongside Athapaththu. But fast bowlers Gaud and Nandani Sharma left the duo frustrated, with Athapaththu enduring a testing over from Gaud, getting off the mark only on the eighth delivery she faced.

She then showed off some of her big hitting, taking on Shafali for a six and a four, but despite the boundaries, she was only going at a run-a-ball at the end of the powerplay. Any hopes of Sri Lanka coming close to chasing the total ended with her dismissal in the tenth over.

Anticipating Athapaththu would look to attack, Deepti shortened her length, making her charge down the pitch. But the ball turned away sharply, beating Athapaththu’s attempted shot, and Ghosh completed a straightforward stumping, dismissing the Sri Lanka captain for 36. Deepti struck once more in the over, having Gunaratne bowled, leaving Sri Lanka needing 121 off the last ten.

As has been the case throughout the tournament, India’s spinners showed their prowess, never letting Sri Lanka even have a sniff at the game thereon. Wickets fell regularly, with Charani removing Harshitha Samarawickrama, the hero of the 2024 Asia Cup with a sharp return catch for 9.

Charani then picked up two wickets in the over. Kavisha Dilhari fell first, slicing a thick outside edge towards short third, following which Nilakshika Silva, who was playing with a broken finger, top-edged a shot towards deep square leg.

India were sloppy in the field, dropping five catches but it was too late for Sri Lanka to capitalise on the chances. Deepti finished with three wickets and Charani with four, finishing as the tournament’s top two wicket-takers, as India bowled Sri Lanka out for 111 on the last ball of the innings.

Scores:
India Women  183 for 5 in 20 overs  (Smriti Mandhana 59, Shafali Verma 68, Harmanpreet Kaur 14,  Richa Ghosh 17, Gunalan Kamalini 15*; Mithalia Ayodhya 1-33, Chamari Athapaththu 1-34, Chamudi Prabodha 1-40) beat Sri Lanka Women 111 all out in 20 overs (Chamari Athapaththu 36, Vishmi Gunarathne 20, Nilakshika Silva 22; Kranti Gaud 1-08, Shafali Verma 1-23, Shree Charani 4-20, Deepti Sharma 3-19, Prema Rawat 1-22) by 72 runs

[Cricinfo]