England vs Sri Lanka 1st T20I Prediction: Who will win today's match?
Two attacking southpaws, Eoin Morgan and Kusal Perera, will lead England and Sri Lanka respectively in a three-match T20I series that commences at Sophia Gardens in Cardiff on Wednesday, June 23.
The first T20I kicks off a long summer for England, with series against Sri Lanka, Pakistan and India across formats ahead of the resumption of the Indian Premier League and the T20 World Cup. With several white-ball stars looking to prove their Test worth and vice versa, the hosts won't be short of competition for places.
Some key players will be missing for England. Star all-rounder Ben Stokes returned to top-level cricketing action in the T20 Blast but he hasn't been selected in the T20I squad, while pacer Jofra Archer is still struggling with injury. But with world-class limited-overs players in all departments, Morgan's men are the definite favorites.
Sri Lanka, on the other hand, are in a completely different place with regard to their squads. After many players complained about the new central contracts offered by Sri Lanka Cricket, former players and experts pointed out that the lack of results in international cricket doesn't justify an increase in pay.
Under a new captain in Perera, who has been vocal about his intentions to play a fearless brand of cricket much like the Englishmen, Sri Lanka desperately need a turnaround in fortunes ahead of the T20 World Cup. This is especially the case after a disappointing showing against Bangladesh in a three-match ODI series.
With youngsters like Wanindu Hasaranga, Pathum Nissanka and Avishka Fernando part of the T20I squad, Sri Lanka may just have the personnel to adapt to Perera's vision. The underdog tag may also favor the visitors, with expectations following the retirement of several legends slowly dying down and helping the players express themselves.
A competitive series between England and Sri Lanka is on the cards.
England vs Sri Lanka 1st T20I Match Prediction: Who will win the series opener in Cardiff?
It's impossible to look past England while predicting the outcome of the 1st T20I against Sri Lanka. The undisputed kings of the limited-overs formats, Morgan's men have almost all bases covered, especially against a team going through a difficult period of transition.
In Jos Buttler and Jason Roy, England have one of the most fearsome opening partnerships ever assembled in the history of the T20I format. Buttler and Roy have been so consistent that the explosive Jonny Bairstow, who has been plundering runs in the T20 Blast for Yorkshire, doesn't stand a chance of moving up the order.
The rest of the batting order is formidable, too. #1 T20I batsman Dawid Malan, Morgan and Sam Billings make up the middle order, with all-rounder Liam Livingstone being another option. All-rounders aren't hard to come by, with in-form players like Moeen Ali, Sam Curran and Chris Woakes part of the squad.
For Sri Lanka, it will be a case of identifying the talent to seal down places in the playing XI ahead of the T20 World Cup. They aren't short of promise, with highly-rated youngsters complementing a few senior players who have the experience to steer the team in the right direction.
But the batting and bowling departments don't really inspire confidence. The pace attack, consisting of Asitha Fernando, Dushmantha Chameera and Isuru Udana, arguably doesn't have the X-factor to cause problems for the English batsmen in the powerplay. And while the spinners in the squad are attacking options who have done well in the recent past, they might not find sufficient assistance in Cardiff.
England start as the definite favorites, and the smart money will be on them to continue their stellar white-ball run. And while Sri Lanka are an unpredictable side that have the tendency to occasionally churn out an awe-inspiring performance, that might be too tall an ask against the 2019 ODI World Cup champions.
Prediction: England to win the 1st T20I