Sri Lanka vs England 1st ODI: How to Watch Live in India
England return to the grind of 50-over cricket this week, and there is nowhere to hide. Colombo. Humid air. R. Premadasa International Cricket Stadium under lights. Sri Lanka waiting.
After a bruising Ashes defeat to Australia, 2-1 in the 2025-26 series, the Three Lions step back into coloured clothing for a three-match ODI series starting January 22. Different format, same scrutiny. This is a team searching for rhythm again.
Sri Lanka arrive from a very different build-up. Their last outing came in a three-match T20I series against Pakistan earlier this month, a contest that finished level at 1-1. Now they stretch out to 50 overs, at home, in conditions they know intimately.
Both sides carry recent scars in one-day cricket. Sri Lanka lost their previous bilateral ODI series to Pakistan. England slipped against New Zealand. Those defeats linger in the background, but the horizon is already shifting towards a bigger stage: the 2026 ICC T20 World Cup in India and Sri Lanka. Every selection, every tactical tweak, every over here feeds into that looming tournament.
For now, though, attention narrows to the first ODI in Colombo and how fans can tune in.
How to watch Sri Lanka vs England 1st ODI in India
Indian viewers have a clear route into the action.
The match will be broadcast live on TV via Sony Sports Network. For those on the move or preferring digital screens, the live stream will be available on SonyLIV and FanCode, accessible through both app and website.
No complicated workarounds. Pick your platform and settle in.
Match time and venue
The series opener takes place at the R. Premadasa International Cricket Stadium in Colombo, Sri Lanka.
First ball is scheduled for 2:30 p.m. local time, which is 2:30 p.m. IST on Thursday, January 22, in India. An afternoon start, rolling into an evening finish, with dew and spin likely to shape the final act.
Series outline
This is the first step in a three-match ODI contest between Sri Lanka and England. Three games to restore belief, to test combinations, to answer a few awkward questions before the World Cup cycle tightens its grip.
By the time this series is done, we will know a little more about who is adapting, who is drifting, and which of these two sides looks ready to turn preparation into something far more serious.
