England have three matches against Sri Lanka to fine-tune their starting XI ahead of the T20 World Cup.
With the crowded international schedule, it's become normal for teams to thrash out the finer details of their starting XIs in the warm-up series' directly before big tournaments. England haven't had every player available for selection for a T20I since their series in India last year, where they lost 4-1 in Brendon McCullum's first assignment after taking over as white-ball head coach. A lot has changed since then, not least the captain and other significant personnel shifts.
In contrast to their ODI side, England have had a decent run in the T20Is they've played over the last year. Of the eight where a result has been possible, they've won seven, beating South Africa, West Indies, Ireland and New Zealand. While the broad structure of their XI and muscle-memory of how to win a T20I is there, some of subtler aspects that come with a sub-continent World Cup are still to be finalised.
Top order
England had to adapt their opening partnership over the summer. Phil Salt was on paternity leave for the series against West Indies, leaving Ben Duckett and Jamie Smith to open while Jos Buttler dropped down. But, with Duckett and Smith missing the final series of the summer as all-format players, Salt's monstrous Manchester innings and subsequent follow-up in Christchurch locked him in alongside Buttler at the top. Having been the incumbent openers at the start of the summer, neither Smith nor Duckett are now locks in England's T20I side. Smith isn't in the T20 World Cup squad at all, while Duckett will have to find a way to fit in down the order, if at all.
Jacob Bethell and Harry Brook are also inked in, but England's named XI to face Sri Lanka in the first T20I presents the intriguing possibility of splitting the pair up in the batting order. Tom Banton, who has only batted at Nos.5 and 6 since his recall last year, is carded to come in at No.4. Duckett is suffering from a bruised hand, and thus wasn't considered for selection. Could Banton's promotion mean that he is now serving as a placeholder until Duckett returns to fitness? He would make sense in the middle order, capable of playing spin and adding another leftie into the mix. Equally, Banton has excelled as a finisher, and would feel hard done by if excluded now.
All-rounders
Sam Curran fought his way back into England's white-ball plans with un-ignorable returns in The Hundred over the summer. A brilliant franchise winter saw him lead Desert Viper to victory in the ILT20, while also finishing as leading run-scorer in that tournament, with that success followed by an impressive stint for Sydney Sixers in the BBL. Curran was England's star in 2022, but will play a much different role if he plays in 2026. He will likely bat in the top six, and drop in with the ball as and when, rather than as the central powerplay force he was in 2022.
England's other two all-rounders are Will Jacks and Jamie Overton, both named in the XI for the first Sri Lanka T20I. Jacks balances the XI well, giving England a three-spin, three-seam balance. Overton, as a No.8, will have to show he can be a frontline seamer, as well as justifying selection with bat in hand. Rehan Ahmed is also in England's squad, although his only T20Is for the last two years have come as part of depleted sides.
The bowlers
The newly formed spin duo of Liam Dawson and Adil Rashid has driven England's T20I success with the ball over the last six months, and both are inked into the XI. Dawson also had a successful ODI series in Sri Lanka, his first since 2022, further cementing his place in England's white-ball plans.
Who takes the new ball is slightly trickier. If Overton impresses in Sri Lanka, he could come in over Luke Wood to partner Jofra Archer. Wood has opened the bowling in T20Is consistently since the start of the summer, having fought his way back from a couple of years in the wilderness. While Josh Tongue has been selected as part of the squad, he has yet to make his T20I debut.
Predicted: England's T20 World Cup starting XI
1. Phil Salt
2. Jos Buttler (wk)
3. Jacob Bethell
4. Ben Duckett
5. Harry Brook (c)
6. Sam Curran
7. Will Jacks
8. Liam Dawson
9. Jofra Archer
10. Adil Rashid
11. Luke Wood
Bench:
Tom Banton, Jamie Overton, Josh Tongue, Rehan Ahmed.
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