England vs Sri Lanka Cricket World Cup Tips: Latest Odds, Analysis and Picks

England vs Sri Lanka Predictions:

• Sri Lanka To Win The Match - 5/2 With BetMGM
• Joe Root To Be The Top England Batsman - 7/2 With Ladbrokes

When: Thursday, October 25, 9:30am BST

Where: M. Chinnaswamy Stadium, Bengaluru

Watch: Sky Sports

Best Odds: England 1/3, Sri Lanka 5/2

It’s must-win match for England and Sri Lanka at the 2023 ICC Cricket World Cup in Bangalore on Thursday, as the losers will not make it to the semi-finals.

Betting sites make England as big as 25/1 to win the World Cup, and they are 4/11 favourites to win Thursday morning’s match against Sri Lanka. 

For a team that has looked anything like world-beaters, that is of little appeal.

It’s make-or-break time and UK bookmakers offer many betting opportunities on the match.

Sri Lanka Can Send England Packing

The England team were woeful at the crease against South Africa in Mumbai last Saturday. 

They were skittled out for 170 runs without even getting halfway through their innings. South Africa had already put 399 runs on the board, and it was England’s heaviest loss in ODI cricket.

Following an embarrassing loss to Afghanistan, this humiliating defeat for the Cricket World Cup holders will still be on their minds when they step onto the pitch for this vital match. 

The only bright moment for England in the tournament so far came against Bangladesh, who are shaping up as one of the poorest teams in the event with just one win in five games, which came against Afghanistan.

Afghanistan bowled England out in their third game for a lowly 215 runs on the scoreboard. England are struggling. 

They are on the ropes, and to add to the pain, they have lost vital bowler Reece Topley, who fractured a finger in the game against South Africa.

Why are they overwhelming favourites with cricket betting sites to win the match? 

Sri Lanka has fared no better in terms of results. Still, they put up very respectable totals, comfortably over 300, against South Africa and Pakistan in their opening couple of games before coming up against an Australian attack they could not handle. 

A win against the Netherlands in their last game was no more than expected, but Sri Lanka has been the better-performing team overall.

England are number six in the ODI rankings, just one ahead of Sri Lanka and in head to heads are only marginally in front at 38-36. The teams are more closely matched than the odds would suggest.

BetMGM have priced Sri Lanka at 5/2 to win, and from what we have seen so far, this match looks no more than an coin-flip, so we will take the odds on Sri Lanka all day long and see which side the coin lands on.

Tip: Sri Lanka To Win The Match - 5/2 with BetMGM

Joe Root To Lead The England Charge

In a game that could go either way, England will need a hero at the crease to succeed, and the player who has filled that role on many occasions is Joe Root. 

He knocked up 70 runs against New Zealand and 82 in the game with Bangladesh, but could only manage 11 in the Afghanistan match and a dismal two against South Africa in Mumbai.

The air quality in Mumbai is notoriously poor, and Root said at the press conference afterwards, "It felt like you couldn’t get your breath. 

It was like you was eating the air”. Not particularly pleasant and a valid excuse perhaps, but not one that seemed to trouble the South Africans.

Hopefully, in the fresher air in Bangalore, Root will be able to breathe a little better. 

If he can get his eye in early and reach the batting heights of the first two matches, he will have every chance of being England’s top scorer and the 7/2 available with betting apps is worth an interest.

Tip: Joe Root To Be The Top England Batsman - 7/2 with Ladbrokes