England Tour of Sri Lanka 2026 The action reaches its climax today in the third and final T20I between the two teams at the Pallekele International Cricket Stadium. With England already taking an undisputed 2-0 lead in the series, today’s game was anything but a formality. for Harry BrookeFor the men’s team, it’s an opportunity to complete a clinical 3-0 whitewash and build on their momentum ahead of the upcoming T20 World Cup. For the host, by darsang shanakaa desperate quest to salvage hometown pride and resolve the inconsistency in the middle order that has plagued them throughout the tour.

Phil Salter out? SL vs ENG 3rd T20I Reasons behind late changes

The biggest talking point before the first ball was the surprising absence of England’s explosive start, Phil Salter. Due to his outstanding form, Salter’s name is the first one many people see on the team sheet. However, when the captains met for the toss, it was revealed that the hard-hitting right-hander would be watching from the sidelines.

During the game, England captain Brooke confirmed the news which caused concern among away fans. Brooke said: “We’re going to have a bat tonight. It’s a used pitch, so hopefully we can hit the ball with the bat first and then use the used pitch to hit the ball. Salter suffered back spasms during warmups and missed the game, with Ben Duckett coming on. Luke Wood replaces Archer“.

The injury appeared to be a sudden setback, occurring minutes before the game as the team was undergoing routine physical preparations. While the severity of back spasms varies, England management are opting for caution and are likely to focus on the grueling World Cup schedule ahead. This late shuffle saw the versatility of Ben Duckett Drafted to slot while Luke Wood start as Jofra Archer Take breaks to manage his workload.

Also read: Tom Banton leads England to victory over Sri Lanka in second T20I

SL vs ENG: Starting lineups of both teams

Sri Lanka: Pathum Nissanka, Kamil Mishara, Kusal Mendis (wk), Pavan Rathnayake, Kamindu Mendis, Dasun Shanaka (c), Janith Liyanage, Dunith Wellalage, Maheesh Theekshana, Dushmantha Chameera, Matheesha Pathirana

England: Ben Duckett, Jos Butler (w), Jacob Bessel, Tom Banton, Harry Brooke (c), Sam Curran, Will Jacks, Jamie Overton, Liam Dawson, Luke Wood, Adil Rashid

Watch also: Sam Curran takes hat-trick in T20I series opener against Sri Lanka