ENG vs SL: England playing XI vs Sri Lanka, Match 25, ICC Cricket World Cup 2023 – Predicted

England will face Sri Lanka in matchNo.25 of the ICC Cricket World Cup 2023.

Who would have thought before the start of the ICC Cricket World Cup 2023 that the defending champions would struggle to book a spot in the semi-finals? But it is looking like this. England, which entered the competition, have suffered badly, and nothing is going their way. They have now lost three out of the four matches they have played.

It also included a defeat against Afghanistan in Delhi. England are left with no choice apart from winning their remaining matches. Now, they will face Sri Lanka in their next game on Thursday at the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium, Bengaluru, who are also going through the same situation. England will feel confident enough to win this game. So let's talk about the predicted playing XI for England.

ENG vs SL: England's Predicted playing XI vs Sri Lanka

1. Jonny Bairstow :

Jonny Bairstow is a big name when someone talks about the opening batters in white-ball formats, but he hasn't clicked so far because if he gets going, he can take the pressure of the other batters easily. Bairstow has scored 97 runs in four innings, and a big innings is dew, and England will hope that he can deliver it against Sri Lanka and take the team to victory.

2. Dawid Malan :

Apart from the 140-run innings against Bangladesh, Dawid Malan has struggled a bit. But he has runs under his belt and has gotten out in unlucky manner. But if the pitch is good for the batters, the left-hander will be confident enough to deliver for England. Malan has scored 190 runs in four innings at an average of 48 and a strike rate of 106.97 and can be hard to dismiss once he gets going.

3. Joe Root :

Joe Root started with two half-centuries but then got out cheaply in the last two matches. But we all know about his ability, and a batting average of over 50 indicates the same. Root will be a big wicket because his dismissal will put England under pressure, and his innings will help others play their natural game.

4. Ben Stokes :

Ben Stokes played his first game against South Africa and got out cheaply. But he has always been a big-match player and can change the game in England's favour single-handedly, which is why he will be a big wicket for Sri Lanka in the middle-order. Stokes will be keen to play a good knock for his team and take them to victory.

5. Harry Brook :

Harry Brook has been among the runs in this tournament. He has scored 128 runs and gotten some starts in every game. But he has to take more responsibility and take the game deep because he is the kind of player who will put pressure on the bowlers with his shots until he is on the crease.

6. Jos Buttler (c & wk) :

The biggest reason that England have not performed well so far is the form of their captain, Jos Buttler. He has scored only 87 runs in four games and hasn't gotten going at all. This is not the Buttler we all know. He will look to deliver a big innings for his team. 

7. David Willey :

David Willey played his first game against South Africa and didn't have a great performance. But his experience playing with RCB in IPL might help him bowl at Chinnaswamy Stadium. He is a quality all-rounder who can hit the ball out of the park, but his swing bowling will be the key for England with the new ball.

8. Chris Woakes :

With Reece Topley ruled out, we might see Chris Woakes back in the line-up. He hasn't had a good performance so far and has taken two wickets in three games at 7.50. But he is England's front-line seamer across the formats. He just needs to adjust his length because Indian conditions don't offer much swing to the bowler, and he can trouble any batter after that.

9. Adil Rashid :

Adil Rashid was not 100 percent fit in the last game, but he did a great job with the ball, picking up 2/61 in a high-scoring game. Rashid has taken six wickets at an economy rate of 5.18 and has been England's best bowler so far. He will get some grip in Bangalore, and if he can utilise it, he can be a dangerous bowler.

10. Gus Atkinson :

Gus Atkinson made his World Cup debut against South Africa and had a decent game despite a massive loss. He took two wickets and then smashed a quick 21-ball 35 with the bat. He will feel confident after that performance and will look to add value to this team against Sri Lanka and do well.

11. Mark Wood :

Mark Wood hasn't been at his best with the ball because Indian pitches don't offer much to his liking, but he has been doing a very hard job. He needs to adjust his line and length, which can cause any batter trouble with his rapid pace. But this tournament has seen something different from him, which is his batting. An average of 80 and a strike of 137.93 tell the story of how good he has been with the bat.