Sri Lanka have decided to bat first in their quest to secure a win as they continue their tour against England at Headingley. Having suffered an 89-run defeat in the opening ODI, Sri Lanka will hope for a turnaround on a pitch expected to favour the faster bowlers, unlike the sticky wicket in Durham.
“We bowled really well, and the fielding was very good,” noted Sri Lankan captain Kusal Mendis at the toss. “Today, we have to bat a bit better compared to the last match. It looks like a good wicket. We need to set a big score.”
Conversely, England’s Harry Brook, who enjoys playing in front of his home crowd in Leeds, commented: “We would have had a bowl, so we’re pretty pleased with that. I like batting here. It looks [like] a good wicket, hence why we wanted to chase.”
Historically, England’s performances at Headingley have been mixed, with recent defeats, including a notable loss to Sri Lanka in the 2019 World Cup. That victory was largely thanks to Lasith Malinga, and in the present line-up, Eshan Malinga joins after Dushmantha Chameera was replaced.
In a setback for Sri Lanka, Wanindu Hasaranga will miss the rest of the series due to lower back pain, paving the way for legspinner Sachindu Colombage to play again after an impressive debut performance where he took 3 for 44.
England sticks with the team that triumphed in Durham, featuring a line-up unchanged. The squad includes key players like Tom Banton, Ben Duckett, Joe Root, and captain Harry Brook. For Sri Lanka, Kamindu Mendis, Pathum Nissanka, and Charith Asalanka feature amongst others, with Eshan Malinga hoping to replicate past namesake glory.
