Sri Lanka and England will meet in the second ODI match of their three-match series on Thursday, September 24 with both teams with the target set out in sight. Sri Lanka will need to respond well to keep the series alive and England will focus on their first match performance and finish the series with another win and will need to show more than half-way of the team to complete a third series win.
The match will be played at Headingley in Leeds at 5:00 PM IST. England is 1-0 leading the series.
England Look to Seal the Series
England took a strong start to the ODI series by beating Sri Lanka by 89 runs in the opening match at Chester-le-Street on September 22.
Harry Brook led from the front with 67 runs and Will Jacks was the only person to produce a great all-round performance as captain. Jacks scored 46 and took career-best 5/22 and England bowled Sri Lanka out for 176. England had 265 after being bowled out in 48.1 overs.
Another victory at Leeds will give England an unassailable 2-0 lead in the series and win the ODI series and make England a perfect 2-0 winner with one match left to play in this series.
Sri Lanka Hope for a Strong Comeback
Sri Lanka will need a much better batting performance after being dismissed for 176 in the first ODI.
The visitors will be looking for more contributions from their top and middle order. Their bowling attack will also need to put England under more pressure, especially after England’s batting lineup recovered from a middle-order wobble in the opening match.
Sri Lanka cannot afford another slow start if they want to take the series to a decider at The Oval on September 27.
Key Players to Watch
Harry Brook and Will Jacks will be among the players to watch after their impressive performances in the first ODI. Jofra Archer and Adil Rashid could also play important roles with the ball.
Sri Lanka will expect their experienced batters and all-rounders to step up. Kusal Mendis and Dunith Wellalage will be important figures as Sri Lanka tries to level the series.
When and where to watch ENG vs SL 2nd ODI
Match: England vs Sri Lanka, 2nd ODI
Date: Thursday, September 24, 2026
Venue: Headingley, Leeds
Start time: 5:00 PM IST / 12:30 PM local time
Series: England lead 1-0
In India, the match will be available on Sony Sports Network and live streaming on SonyLIV. Sky Sports will broadcast the series in the UK, while PEO Sports will carry the matches in Sri Lanka.
What to Expect
England will enter the match with confidence on the back of the impressive opening day after their strong first match win but Sri Lanka will have a chance of responding with a quick response. Sri Lanka will have to respond soon to England after England will enter the match with confidence after a convincing opening victory, so Sri Lanka will come in the match, but there are many things they need to perform well in the team to beat England at the top of the order to avoid England closing out the series.
In a series-clinching England contest and Sri Lanka fighting to stay alive, the Headingley match will be the second in the ODI series and a key one.
