ENG vs SL Dream11 prediction: 3 differentials you can pick in today’s World Cup 2023 match – Oct 26, 2023
England (ENG) take on Sri Lanka (SL) in the 25th match of the 2023 Men's ODI World Cup (WC) on Thursday, October 26, at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bangalore.
Both sides are in dire straits and need to keep winning to stay alive in the tournament. Sri Lanka recorded their first win of the campaign against the Netherlands following three successive defeats and head into this match with some momentum. Angelo Mathews' return to the team as Matheesha Pathirana's replacement also bolsters their batting ahead of this fixture.
England, meanwhile, have only one win in four, and enter this match on back-to-back defeats, first an upset against Afghanistan, and then a drubbing at the hands of South Africa (SA). Jos Buttler's side look short of answers and amidst a bit of an injury crisis (Reece Topley ruled out of the tournament), England need their big names to step up and deliver.
Given England's struggles in this tournament, by no means should this match be a one-sided affair, and it could well prove to be a thrilling match. Let's now look at the top three Dream11 differentials from this encounter.
#3 Gus Atkinson (ENG)
Gus Atkinson's World Cup debut was a tough one as he faced a devastating SA batting order on a belter of a wicket, but he managed to give a decent account of himself, finishing with figures of 2/60 in nine overs, picking up two crucial wickets in the death overs including that of centurion Heinrich Klaasen.
He also showed off his batting prowess, scoring a quick-fire 21-ball 35 to take his points tally past the 100-point mark, a pretty useful haul for all his owners. Despite that, he seems to have a fairly low ownership heading into this match, and this is an opportunity for Dream11 players to make the most of a potential high-value differential.
#2 Angelo Mathews (SL)
Former Sri Lanka captain Angelo Mathews is in line to make an unexpected return to the side after being announced as Matheesha Pathirana's replacement, although he's more likely to fill the shoes of Dasun Shanaka.
Mathews looks set to walk right into Sri Lanka's playing XI, and he'll actually be a key player for them if they hope to beat England. He has a terrific record against England in international cricket, averaging 51 against them in ODIs.
Sri Lanka beat England in the 2019 World Cup, riding on Mathews' unbeaten 85, and on what should be a good batting wicket, the experienced batter could well notch up a big score. His ownership is in low single-digits, and he could be a dream differential for Dream11 players.
#1 Liam Livingstone (ENG)
England sorely missed Liam Livingstone's ability to bowl off-spin and leg-spin in their hammering at the hands of South Africa. They've always been one spinner short throughout this tournament and were forced to make do with Joe Root and Livingstone against Afghanistan and ended up losing that match.
They went one step further against SA by dropping Livingstone only for the likes of David Willey to end up wicketless on a surface that supported spinners, while also missing out on Livingstone's abilities with the bat.
He's very likely to come back into the team due to his useful skillset with the bat and the ball, especially after looking at how Pakistan's Ifthikar Ahmed and Mohammad Nawaz were their most economical bowlers at that venue. His ownership should be low and Dream11 players can capitalize on that fact.