Cricket fans around the world love watching exciting matches between different countries. One of the most interesting rivalries in cricket is between Sri Lanka and England.
The Sri Lanka national cricket team vs England cricket team timeline shows us how these two teams have competed against each other for more than 40 years.
This timeline tells the story of their cricket journey together. From their first meeting in 1982 to today’s matches, both teams have given us many thrilling moments.
England has a long cricket history and strong home conditions. Sri Lanka brings exciting talent and unique playing styles that make every match special.
Throughout the years, we have seen amazing performances, close finishes, and unforgettable cricket moments.
The SL national cricket team vs Eng cricket team timeline includes Test matches (the longest format), ODI matches (One Day International), and T20 matches (the shortest format). Each format has its excitement and challenges.
Contents
- Sri Lanka National Cricket Team Vs England Cricket Team Timeline
- Sri Lanka National Cricket Team vs England National Cricket Team Timeline
- Origins of the ENG vs SL
- ENG vs SL Timeline between 1980 to 1990
- Test Matches
- ODI Matches
- ENG vs SL Timeline between 1990 to 2000
- Test Matches
- ODI Matches
- ENG vs SL Timeline between 2001 to 2010
- Test Matches
- ODI Matches
- T20i Matches
- ENG vs SL Timeline 2011 to 2020
- Test Matches
- ODI and T20i Matches
- ENG vs SL Timeline 2021 to Present
- Test Matches
- Sri Lanka National Cricket Team vs England National Cricket Team Stats
- ENG vs SL Head-to-Head (All Formats)
- ENG vs SL Records (Test)
- Highest Totals in an Innings
- Individual Records
- ENG vs SL Records (ODIs)
- Highest Innings Total
- ENG vs SL Records (T20Is)
- Highest Innings Total
- FAQs:
- Conclusion:
Sri Lanka National Cricket Team Vs England Cricket Team Timeline
This guide will take you through every important period of their rivalry. You’ll learn about the biggest wins, closest matches, and star players who made history.
Whether you’re new to cricket or a longtime fan, this timeline will help you understand how these two teams have shaped each other’s cricket journey over the decades.
Sri Lanka National Cricket Team vs England National Cricket Team Timeline
Origins of the ENG vs SL
The cricket relationship between England and Sri Lanka began in February 1982. This was a historic moment for Sri Lankan cricket as they played their first-ever ODI series against England.
| Match Details | Information |
|---|---|
| First ODI Date | February 13, 1982 |
| Venue | Sinhalese Sports Club (SSC) Ground, Colombo |
| England Captain | Keith Fletcher |
| Sri Lanka Captain | Bandula Warnapura |
| Result | England won by 5 runs |
The first match was incredibly exciting. England scored 212 runs, and Sri Lanka came very close with 206 runs but lost by just 5 runs. The next day, Sri Lanka got their revenge by winning the second match by 3 runs. This showed that Sri Lankan cricket was ready to compete with established teams like England.
ENG vs SL Timeline between 1980 to 1990
This decade was the beginning of their cricket relationship. England was much stronger during this time and dominated most matches.
Test Matches
| Date | Venue | Tournament | Result |
|---|---|---|---|
| Feb 17-21, 1982 | Colombo (PPS) | SL vs ENG – Only Test | ENG won by 7 wickets |
| Aug 23-28, 1984 | Lord’s | ENG vs SL – Only Test | Match Drawn |
| Aug 25-30, 1988 | Lord’s | ENG vs SL – Only Test | ENG won by 7 wickets |
ODI Matches
| Date | Venue | Tournament | Result |
|---|---|---|---|
| Feb 13, 1982 | Colombo (PPS) | England in Sri Lanka ODI Series- 1st ODI | ENG won by 5 runs |
| Feb 14, 1982 | Colombo (PPS) | England in Sri Lanka ODI Series- 2nd ODI | SL won by 5 runs |
| June 11, 1983 | Taunton | Prudential World Cup | ENG won by 47 runs |
| Oct 23, 1987 | Pune | Reliance World Cup | ENG won by 8 Wickets |
| Sep 4, 1988 | The Oval | Texaco Trophy | ENG won by 5 Wickets |
| Oct 15, 1989 | Delhi | MRF World Series (Nehru Cup) | ENG won by 5 Wickets |
The teams played 6 ODI matches during this decade. England won 5 matches while Sri Lanka won 1 match. Most matches were part of the World Cups and bilateral series.
ENG vs SL Timeline between 1990 to 2000
This decade marked a turning point for Sri Lankan cricket. They became much more competitive and started winning important matches.
Test Matches
| Date | Venue | Tournament | Result |
|---|---|---|---|
| Aug 22-27, 1991 | Lord’s | ENG vs SL – Only Test | ENG won by 137 runs |
| Mar 13-18, 1993 | Colombo (SSC) | SL vs ENG – Only Test | SL won by 5 wickets |
| Aug 27-31, 1998 | The Oval | ENG vs SL – Only Test | SL won by 10 wickets |
ODI Matches
| Date | Venue | Tournament | Result |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mar 09, 1992 | Ballarat | Benson & Hedges World Cup | ENG won by 106 runs |
| Mar 10, 1993 | Colombo (RPS) | SL in ENG ODI Series- 1st ODI | SL won by 32 runs |
| Mar 20, 1993 | Moratuwa | SL in ENG ODI Series- 2nd ODI | SL won by 8 wickets |
| Mar 09, 1996 | Faisalabad | Wills World Cup | SL won by 5 Wickets |
| Aug 16, 1998 | Lord’s | Emirates Triangular Tournament | ENG won by 36 runs |
| Aug 20, 1998 | Lord’s | Emirates Triangular Tournament | SL won by 5 Wickets |
During this period, they played 17 ODI matches, with England winning 9 and Sri Lanka winning 8. Sri Lanka’s 1996 World Cup victory over England was a game-changer.
ENG vs SL Timeline between 2001 to 2010
This was called the “Golden Era” for both teams. The cricket quality was excellent, and many matches were very close.
Test Matches
| Date | Venue | Tournament | Result |
|---|---|---|---|
| Feb 22-26, 2001 | Galle | SL vs ENG – 3 Test series (1st Match) | SL won by 28 runs |
| Mar 07-11, 2001 | Kandy | SL vs ENG – 3 Test series (2nd Match) | ENG won by 3 wickets |
| Mar 15-17, 2001 | Colombo (SSC) | SL vs ENG – 3 Test series (3rd Match) | ENG won by 4 wickets |
| May 16-20, 2002 | Lords | ENG vs SL – 3 Test series (1st Match) | Match Drawn |
| May 30-June 02, 2002 | Birmingham | ENG vs SL – 3 Test series (2nd Match) | ENG won by 111 runs |
| Jun 13-17, 2002 | Manchester | ENG vs SL – 3 Test series (3rd Match) | ENG won by 10 wickets |
They played 15 Test matches during this decade, with England winning 5, Sri Lanka winning 4, and 6 matches drawn.
ODI Matches
25 ODI matches were played, with Sri Lanka winning 12 and England winning 10. Three matches were abandoned due to rain.
T20i Matches
| Date | Venue | Tournament | Result |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jun 15, 2006 | Southampton | ENG vs SL- Only T20i | SL won by 2 Runs |
| May 13, 2010 | Gros Islet | ICC T20 World Cup | ENG won by 7 wickets |
T20 cricket started during this period, with each team winning 1 match.
ENG vs SL Timeline 2011 to 2020
This decade was highly successful for England. They improved dramatically and won most series.
Test Matches
| Date | Venue | Tournament | Result |
|---|---|---|---|
| May 26-30, 2011 | Cardiff | ENG vs SL – 3 Test series (1st Match) | ENG won by 14 runs |
| Jun 03-07, 2011 | Lord’s | ENG vs SL – 3 Test series (2nd Match) | Match Drawn |
| Jun 16-20, 2011 | Southampton | ENG vs SL – 3 Test series (3rd Match) | Match Drawn |
| Nov 06-09, 2018 | Galle | SL vs ENG – 3 Test series (1st Match) | ENG won by 211 runs |
| Nov 14-18, 2018 | Pallekele | ENG vs SL – 3 Test series (2nd Match) | ENG won by 57 runs |
| Nov 23-26, 2018 | Colombo (SSC) | SL vs ENG- 3 Test series (3rd Match) | ENG won by 42 runs |
13 Test matches were played, with England winning 7, Sri Lanka winning 2, and 4 drawn. The 2018 series in Sri Lanka saw England win 3-0 (clean sweep).
ODI and T20i Matches
31 ODI matches were played, with Sri Lanka winning 15 and England winning 13. 7 T20 matches were play,ed with England winning 4 and Sri Lanka winning 3.
ENG vs SL Timeline 2021 to Present
Recent years have seen England dominate across all formats.
Test Matches
| Date | Venue | Tournament | Result |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan 14, 2021 | Galle | SL vs ENG- 2 Test Series (1st Match) | ENG won by 7 wickets |
| Jan 22, 2021 | Galle | SL vs ENG- 2 Test Series (2nd Match) | ENG won by 6 wickets |
| Aug 21, 2024 | Manchester | ENG vs SL- 3 Test Series (1st Match) | ENG won by 5 wickets |
| Aug 29, 2024 | Lords | ENG vs SL- 3 Test Series (2nd Match) | ENG won by 190 runs |
Sri Lanka National Cricket Team vs England National Cricket Team Stats
| Tournament | Matches | England Won | Sri Lanka Won | Draw/Tie/No Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ODI World Cup | 9 | 5 | 4 | 0 |
| T20 World Cup | 6 | 5 | 1 | 0 |
| Champions Trophy | 3 | 2 | 1 | 0 |
| Total | 18 | 12 | 6 | 0 |
ENG vs SL Head-to-Head (All Formats)
| Format | Matches | ENG Wins | SL Wins | D/T/NR |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| All Formats | 131 | 67 | 49 | 15 |
| Test | 38 | 19 | 8 | 11 |
| ODI | 79 | 38 | 37 | 4 |
| T20I | 14 | 10 | 4 | 0 |
ENG vs SL Records (Test)
Highest Totals in an Innings
| Runs | Team | Venue | Year |
|---|---|---|---|
| 628/8d | Sri Lanka | Colombo (SSC) | 2003 |
| 591 | Sri Lanka | The Oval | 1998 |
| 575/9d | England | Lord’s | 2014 |
Individual Records
Most Runs by Individuals:
| Runs | Player | Span |
|---|---|---|
| 2212 | Mahela Jayawardene (SL) | 1998-2014 |
| 1568 | Kumar Sangakkara (SL) | 2001-2014 |
| 1351 | Joe Root (ENG) | 2014-2024 |
Highest Individual Score:
| Runs | Player | Venue | Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| 228 | Joe Root (ENG) | Galle | Jan 14, 2021 |
| 213* | Mahela Jayawardene (SL) | Galle | Dec 18, 2007 |
ENG vs SL Records (ODIs)
Highest Innings Total
| Score | Team | Venue | Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| 366/6 | Sri Lanka | Colombo (RPS) | Oct 23, 2018 |
| 333/9 | England | Taunton | Jun 11, 1983 |
Most Runs (Individual):
| Runs | Player | Span |
|---|---|---|
| 1625 | Kumar Sangakkara (SL) | 2001-2015 |
| 1562 | Mahela Jayawardene (SL) | 1999-2015 |
ENG vs SL Records (T20Is)
Highest Innings Total
| Score | Team | Venue | Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| 190/4 | England | Chattogram | Mar 27, 2014 |
| 189/4 | Sri Lanka | Chattogram | Mar 27, 2014 |
Individual Records:
| Runs | Player | Span |
|---|---|---|
| 385 | Jos Buttler (ENG) | 2012-2022 |
| 253 | Eoin Morgan (ENG) | 2010-2021 |
FAQs:
- Q: When did England and Sri Lanka first play cricket?
A: They first played in February 1982 in Colombo, Sri Lanka.
- Q: Which team has won more matches overall?
A: England has won more matches, with 67 wins compared to Sri Lanka’s 49 wins.
- Q: What is the highest team score in their Test matches?
A: Sri Lanka scored 628/8d at Colombo in 2003.
- Q: Who has scored the most runs in their Test encounters?
A: Mahela Jayawardene from Sri Lanka with 2,212 runs.
- Q: Which format is most competitive between them?
A: ODI cricket is very competitive, with England winning 38 and Sri Lanka winning 37 matches.
Conclusion:
The Sri Lanka national cricket team vs England cricket team timeline shows us an amazing cricket journey that started in 1982 and continues today.
Over 40+ years, these teams have given us incredible matches, memorable performances, and exciting cricket moments.
England started as the stronger team, but Sri Lanka quickly became competitive.
The 1990s and 2000s were the most exciting periods when both teams were equally matched. Recent years have seen England dominate, but Sri Lanka continues to fight and surprise everyone.
This rivalry has produced legendary players and made international cricket more exciting for millions of fans worldwide.
