England vs Sri Lanka Second Test at Lord’s: ENG vs SL Dream11 Prediction, Playing XI and Fantasy Tips

The three-match Test series between England and Sri Lanka moves to the iconic Lord’s Cricket Ground for the second Test, set to begin on Thursday. England will be eager to capitalize on their five-wicket victory in the first Test at Old Trafford and secure the series win ahead of the final match at The Oval next week.

After nearly three years of embracing an aggressive “Bazball” approach in Test cricket, England opted for a more controlled strategy in the opening match at Old Trafford. Chasing a target of 205, the hosts took their time and successfully reached the mark on the fourth evening, achieving a fourth Test win of the 2024 summer. This win comes after their 3-0 series triumph over the West Indies in July. However, the performance wasn’t as dominant as many had expected, indicating some room for improvement.

Sri Lanka, on the other hand, displayed notable resilience, highlighting their progress over the past two years. They managed to stay competitive throughout the match, even forcing England to adopt a cautious approach. The standout performers for England were Joe Root, whose unbeaten 62 anchored the chase, and Jamie Smith, who impressed with a solid 39 off 48 balls in the second innings. Smith’s efforts were crucial, particularly in the absence of regular skipper Ben Stokes, and he also contributed a valuable century in the first innings.

For Sri Lanka, Kamindu Mendis shone with a brilliant century, and Dinesh Chandimal supported him well with a gritty 79 in the second innings. Despite these individual performances, Sri Lanka’s issues with capitalizing on strong starts and late-order collapses in both innings remain concerning. The lack of a world-class spinner also hurt their chances, as their bowlers, led by Asitha Fernando and Prabath Jayasuriya, struggled to find consistent breakthroughs at crucial junctures.

One point of contention in the upcoming Test will be the umpire’s decision regarding the ball change, which was criticized by veteran all-rounder Angelo Mathews in the first Test. Mathews claimed that the hosts were given a newer ball than what was being used in the 41st over when Sri Lanka was well-positioned at 146 for 4.

ENG Playing XI

Ben Duckett,  Dan Lawrence, Ollie Pope (c), Joe Root, Harry Brook, Jamie Smith, Chris Woakes, Gus Atkinson, Shoaib Bashir, Matthew Potts, Olly Stone

England will see the return of Nottinghamshire fast bowler Olly Stone to ENG Playing XI, replacing Mark Wood, who sustained a thigh strain on the third day of the first Test and is ruled out for the remainder of the series. Stone’s inclusion marks his first appearance for the national side in over three years. Uncapped Leicestershire pacer Josh Hull has also been named in the 13-player squad but is unlikely to make his debut as the batting lineup remains unchanged.

SL Playing XI

Dimuth Karunaratne, Nishan Madushka, Pathum Nissanka, Angelo Mathews, Dinesh Chandimal (wk), Dhananjaya de Silva (c), Kamindu Mendis, Prabath Jayasuriya, Asitha Fernando, Lahiru Kumara, Milan Rathnayake

Sri Lanka have named SL Playing XI for the second Test against England. They have made a couple of changes to the lineup.

ENG vs SL Dream11 Prediction

WK: Dinesh Chandimal, Jamie Smith

BAT: Harry Brook, Ollie Pope, Ben Duckett, Joe Root

ALL: Chris Woakes, Dhananjaya de Silva, Kamindu Mendis

BOWL: Milan Priyanath Rathnayake, Gus Atkinson

Who will win second test match between England and Sri Lanka?

Sri Lanka demonstrated in the first Test that they are a formidable side, but England’s familiarity with the conditions at Lord’s and the form of key players like Joe Root provide them with a significant advantage. While another competitive contest is expected, England’s depth and experience may help them seal the series before the final Test at The Oval on September 6.