England to Tour Sri Lanka for White-Ball Series Ahead of T20 World Cup

England's Upcoming Tour of Sri Lanka

London [UK], August 20: England is preparing for a white-ball tour to Sri Lanka, the co-host for the upcoming T20 World Cup next year.

The England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) announced on Wednesday that the team will participate in three One Day Internationals (ODIs) and three Twenty20 Internationals (T20Is) from January 22 to February 3, 2024. In the previous T20 World Cup, England faced disappointment in the semi-finals against India, who went on to win the championship.

According to the ECB, "England Men will tour Sri Lanka for two white-ball series ahead of the 2026 ICC Men’s T20 World Cup scheduled for early 2026."

The series will kick off with three ODIs starting January 22, concluding on January 27. Following the ODIs, the T20Is will commence on January 30 and run until February 3. The specific venues for these matches are yet to be confirmed by Sri Lanka Cricket.

This tour will provide England with valuable experience in subcontinental conditions, especially with the T20 World Cup being hosted in India and Sri Lanka. Under the dynamic leadership of Harry Brook, England aims to secure their third T20 World Cup title, having previously won in 2009 and 2022.

Next year's visit to Sri Lanka marks England's first tour in over seven years. In their last series in 2018, England dominated the ODI matches and also claimed victory in the sole T20I.

The last time England faced Sri Lanka in T20 cricket was during the 2022 T20 World Cup, where England achieved a solid four-wicket victory in the group stage.

Before this series, Sri Lanka will travel to Zimbabwe for a white-ball series starting September 6, while England will host South Africa, with their series beginning on September 10 in Cardiff.