ENG vs SL 3rd Test | Playing 11 Prediction, Preview And Live Streaming

England will aim to clean sweep Sri Lanka 3-0 (X)

England will take on Sri Lanka in the third and final Test of the series at the Kennington Oval in London, starting Friday, September 6. With the series already in the bag after two commanding victories, England will be eager to wrap things up with a clean sweep. Meanwhile, Sri Lanka, having been outclassed so far, will look to salvage some pride by finishing the series with a win.

ENG vs SL 3rd Test: Team Previews

England

England, riding high on momentum, will be determined not to take their foot off the pedal. Joe Root has been in sublime form, delivering crucial runs across both Tests, including twin centuries in the second match.

Gus Atkinson impressed with both bat and ball, notching up a five-wicket haul in Sri Lanka’s second innings and scoring a scintillating ton in the first. Ben Duckett has looked promising but will be keen to convert his starts into big scores, while Dan Lawrence, struggling for form, will be desperate to make amends.

Stand-in captain Ollie Pope has found the going tough with the bat, but the experience of Joe Root, attacking Harry Brook, and the steady contributions from Jamie Smith have kept England firmly in control. However, Pope will aim to get back amongst the runs.

The bowling attack, spearheaded by Chris Woakes, has consistently had Sri Lanka on the ropes, with Olly Stone and Atkinson also chipping in with crucial wickets. Josh Hull is set to make his debut and he will be looking to make a mark as the Three Lions aim to whitewash the Lankans.

Sri Lanka

On the other hand, Sri Lankan have been unable to match England’s dominance. Dhananjaya de Silva’s leadership has been commendable, but the visitors' inability to stitch strong partnerships has left them high and dry.

The experienced hands of Dimuth Karunaratne, Angelo Mathews, Dinesh Chandimal, and de Silva himself have fought valiantly, but the middle order has often folded under pressure, leading to lacklustere totals. Nishan Madushka and Pathum Nissanka have struggled to get going, leaving Sri Lanka's batting in tatters.

On the bowling front, Asitha Fernando has been Sri Lanka’s shining light, grabbing five wickets in England’s first innings of the second Test. Milan Rathnayake has also made an impression with his pace and has chipped in with handy runs.

However, the lack of consistent support from bowlers like Lahiru Kumara and Prabath Jayasuriya has made it difficult for Sri Lanka to put the brakes on the English batsmen. The visitors will look to put in a collective performance and win the final Test.

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ENG vs SL 3rd Test: Match Details and Live Streaming

ENG vs SL 3rd Test: Kennington Oval Pitch Report

The Oval is expected to offer a stage for seam and swing, with spinners likely to toil hard for wickets. Fast bowlers will likely call the shots early on, but batters who can weather the storm of the new ball will find runs easier to come by. Historically, the team batting first has had the upper hand at The Oval, winning 40 games to the 29 won by teams batting second. Winning the toss and batting first could be the recipe for success once again.

ENG vs SL 3rd Test: Probably Playing XIs

England's Confirmed XI: Dan Lawrence, Ben Duckett, Ollie Pope (c), Joe Root, Harry Brook, Jamie Smith (wk), Chris Woakes, Gus Atkinson, Olly Stone, Josh Hull, Shoaib Bashir

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

ENG vs SL 3rd Test: Winner Prediction

Considering the overall team composition and how one-sided the series has been, England are clear favourites to win this Test.

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