Sri Lanka vs England Prediction: Salt and Mendis to show their class in 3rd T20I

England have DLS have become good friends so far in the T20I series in Sri Lanka with two wins from two ably assisted by the formula. Jamie Pacheco previews the 3rd T20I between Sri Lanka and England, starting 13:30 on Tuesday, February 3 and live on TNT Sports 1.  

Jamie is going for two class acts with the bat to do their stuff at 7/2 and 10/3 respectively...

Sports Welcome Offer

New customers only. Deposit via Debit Card & place first bet £10+ (1/1+) on Sports in 7 days. £30 Sports & £20 Acca Free Bets within 10 hrs of settlement. 7-day expiry. Eligibility, payment excl. & T&Cs Apply.

Sports Welcome Offer

New customers only. Deposit via Debit Card & place first bet £10+ (1/1+) on Sports in 7 days. £30 Sports & £20 Acca Free Bets within 10 hrs of settlement. 7-day expiry. Eligibility, payment excl. & T&Cs Apply.

*You can check out the Cricket Odds from all of our Cricket Betting markets over on betfred.com

Match Preview:

Sri Lanka  

It could end up being a tough World Cup for Sri Lanka if these first two performances are anything to go by.  

In the first one they suffered a batting collapse, in the second they were guilty of a poor bowling performance in defending a really good total, though that comes with the caveat that they lost one of their best bowlers in Eshan Malinga to injury after just 1.2 overs; it may have been a very different story if they hadn't. But then again, that's why you need a well-balanced side.  

Pavan Rathnayake, who had been impressive in the ODI series, hit a super 40 off 22, and that should mean he keeps his place for this one and their first WC game. Veteran Dushmara Chameera could come in for Malinga.  

England 

More good work from England, chasing a stiff total in an intelligent yet aggressive way and thinking things through. For example, Tom Banton played a sensible knock, knowing he had to be there at the end, while Harry Brook and Sam Curran were going ballistic. It was a good strategy rather than everyone just trying to smash every ball out of the ground.  

Spinners Adi Rashid, Will Jacks and Liam Dawson were good with the ball, Curran and Jamie Overton, less so. Jofra Archer can consider himself pretty fortunate to have picked up two wickets because he was expensive and didn't bowl particularly well, in the process his second wicket in the last over denying us a dead-heat on Rashid at 3/1.   

Ben Duckett should be worried. There's not much wrong with opening with Jos Buttler rather than having him at three if it means slotting Banton into that middle-order.  

Archer might be rested with Josh Tongue finally getting a game. 

Pitch and conditions 

We're at Pallekele once again.  

This is a good wicket as we know and England have proved good in the chase here so far. But it might be worth seeing the bigger picture and England bowling first if given the chance, simply because they've had far more practice of chasing than bowling second these last couple of years and may need some practice with the WC about to start.    

It's very possible that rain could play its part once again, but we should get a completed match, at least.  

Match Winner odds. 

We could have had two winners out of two on this one because we did say that England were the better side ahead of both matches. But they weren't great prices in either case, so no regrets.  

Brook and co are 1/2 ahead of this one, SL are out at 13/8.  

The hosts are hampered by that injury to Malinga but that's still not reason enough to take that sort of price on England.     

*For all the latest and live Sri Lanka vs England 3rd T20I Odds then head over to betfred.com 

SL Top Batsman  

Kusal Mendis is one of those ultra-consistent sorts who always seems to be in the runs. He scored 90-odd in the 1st ODI, also top scored in the 1st T20I and was good for 36 off 30 last time out, narrowly missing out on another win there (40 won it). 

Yeah, he's the favourite at 10/3, but he's also their best white-ball batter, is in form and bats at three so there's not much wrong with that price.  

Eng Top Batsman 

And we're happy to go to the well with Phil Salt once more. He won for us in the first match, we swerved him in the second (which Banton won) and all the reasons put forward for him ahead of the 1st match of the Sri Lanka vs England series still hold true. He's 7/2 and that's fine by us.  

Jamie Pacheco Cricket P/L 2025: 

• Points Staked: 146 
• Points Returned: 151.7  
• Final P/L: +5.7pts  

Jamie Pacheco Cricket P/L 2026:   

• Points Staked: 14.5
• Points Returned: 19.96
• Current P/L: +5.49