England's T20I resurgence continued with Tuesday's 119-run rout of Sri Lanka at the Rose Bowl, where captain Harry Brook thumped an unbeaten 114 for the hosts.
Brook's men are red-hot favourites to win Thursday's second T20I in Cardiff as the Lankans aim to snap their 13-match losing streak against England in this format.
England v Sri Lanka Second T20I Tips Summary
Best Bet - Jos Buttler to score over 28.5 runs @ 5/6
Alternative Bet - Dasun Shanaka to be Sri Lanka top batter @ 8/1
Bet Builder - England to make highest score in first six overs, Dunith Wellalage 1+ wicket & Dasun Shanaka to hit most sixes for Sri Lanka @ 25/4
England v Sri Lanka Second T20I Prediction
Best Bet - Jos Buttler to score over 28.5 runs @ 5/6
Harry Brook was player of the match in the first T20I for his outstanding century but England opener Jos Buttler also had a big impact at the Rose Bowl.
The former white-ball captain appears to be enjoying his cricket and he struck 80 off just 44 balls in game one.
England's new opener Aneurin Donald tends to go out all guns blazing, allowing senior partner Buttler to settle into his innings.
Buttler is a solid bet to score 29 or more runs at Sophia Gardens, where his last five scores in T20Is and The Hundred were 68 not out, 29, 37 not out, 57 and 25.
The 36-year-old has also reached 60 in six of his last 10 ODIs in Cardiff and his most recent T20I innings before this series was 131 off 64 balls against world champions India at the Rose Bowl.
Alternative Bet - Dasun Shanaka to be Sri Lanka top batter @ 8/1
Sri Lanka's chase of 255 never got going in the first T20I as fast bowler Sonny Baker and spinner Will Jacks reduced them to 32-3 inside the first six overs.
The tourists bat deep – number eight Dunith Wellalage top-scored with 33 on Tuesday – and middle-order man Dasun Shanaka could star with the bat in Cardiff.
Shanaka cracked 24 off 14 balls in the first T20I and Sri Lanka's ex-skipper does not need much time at the crease to make a significant score.
He arrived in England fresh from the Caribbean Premier League, where he smashed an unbeaten 121 from just 43 balls for St Kitts & Nevis against St Lucia this month.
England vs Sri Lanka Second T20I Bet Builder Tip
England to make highest score in first six overs
Dunith Wellalage 1+ wicket
Dasun Shanaka to hit most sixes for Sri Lanka
Pays 25/4
Opener Donald can power England to a fast start in Cardiff. He hit 12 off five deliveries on his international debut on Tuesday and had batting strike-rates of 231 and 217 runs per 100 balls in the T20 Blast and The Hundred this summer.
Sri Lanka spinner Dunith Wellalage dismissed Donald in the third over at the Rose Bowl and has claimed 21 wickets in 18 T20Is.
Dasun Shanaka is Sri Lanka's most consistent six-hitter and he cleared the ropes 24 times in eight CPL innings just before this series.
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Key Match Stats
England have won their last 13 T20Is against Sri Lanka
Harry Brook has hit 21 sixes in his last five T20I innings for England
England were victorious in 10 of their last 11 home T20Is
Dasun Shanaka has struck 25 sixes in his last eight T20 innings for St Kitts & Nevis and Sri Lanka
Sri Lanka have lost seven of their last eight T20Is
Dunith Wellalage has taken at least one wicket in 11 of his last 12 T20Is
Tactics, Form and Team News
England are missing T20I regulars Phil Salt, Jacob Bethell and Sam Curran due to injury.
Opener Donald was preferred to Ben Duckett for the series opener and Jofra Archer, Gus Atkinson and Saqib Mahmood are the other fast bowlers in the squad.
Predicted England XI: 1 Jos Buttler (wk), 2 Aneurin Donald, 3 Harry Brook (c), 4 Tom Banton, 5 Jordan Cox, 6 Will Jacks, 7 Jamie Overton, 8 Liam Dawson, 9 Adil Rashid, 10 Josh Tongue, 11 Sonny Baker
Sri Lanka could name the same team who played at the Rose Bowl.
Experienced batsman Kusal Mendis (hamstring) and fast bowler Binura Fernando (back) pulled out of the squad for this series and were replaced by Pavan Rathnayake and Dilshan Madushanka.
Predicted Sri Lanka XI: 1 Pathum Nissanka, 2 Kamil Mishara (wk), 3 Lahiru Udana, 4 Charith Asalanka (c), 5 Dasun Shanaka, 6 Kamindu Mendis, 7 Wanindu Hasaranga, 8 Dunith Wellalage, 9 Maheesh Theekshana, 10 Dushmantha Chameera, 11 Eshan Malinga
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This article was written by a partner sports writer via Spotlight Sports Group. All odds displayed on this page were correct at the time of writing and are subject to withdrawal or change at any time.
