Sri Lanka Women are set to tour the West Indies for a white-ball series comprising One Day Internationals and T20 Internationals during February and March 2026, as part of their international calendar leading into a crucial World Cup year.

The tour will feature three ODIs and three T20Is, all of which will be played at the Grenada National Stadium, with matches scheduled from February 20 to March 3.

The ODI leg of the series will get underway on February 20, followed by the second and third matches on February 22 and February 25 respectively. The focus will then shift to the shorter format, with the T20I series commencing on February 28, before concluding with matches on March 1 and March 3.

The T20I series holds particular importance for both teams as they continue preparations for the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup 2026, set to be held in the United Kingdom. Sri Lanka and West Indies have been placed in Group 2, alongside hosts England, New Zealand, and two teams yet to qualify.

Sri Lanka Women will be aiming to end a prolonged T20I series drought, having not won a bilateral T20I series since lifting the Women’s Asia Cup in 2024. The Caribbean tour presents a valuable opportunity for the side to rebuild confidence and momentum in the format ahead of the global tournament.

West Indies, meanwhile, will take confidence from recent home performances, having won their last two home T20I series against Bangladesh and South Africa. Playing all matches at a single venue is expected to test Sri Lanka’s adaptability to conditions over an extended period.

The two sides last faced each other in the Caribbean in 2024, where Sri Lanka enjoyed success in the ODI format with a 3–0 series sweep, while West Indies responded strongly to claim the T20I series 2–1.

With both teams eyeing World Cup readiness, the upcoming tour is expected to provide a competitive and revealing contest across formats.

Tour Schedule – Sri Lanka Women in West Indies 2026

• 20 February – 1st ODI, Grenada National Stadium

• 22 February – 2nd ODI, Grenada National Stadium

• 25 February – 3rd ODI, Grenada National Stadium

• 28 February – 1st T20I, Grenada National Stadium

• 1 March – 2nd T20I, Grenada National Stadium

• 3 March – 3rd T20I, Grenada National Stadium

Sri Lanka captain Charith Asalanka has played down criticism of the pitch used for the second One-Day International against England in Colombo, insisting that the surface was suitable for ODI cricket despite concerns raised by visiting players.

England levelled the three-match series with a comfortable victory at the R. Premadasa Stadium, chasing down a target of 220 with more than three overs to spare. Following the match, several England players expressed dissatisfaction with the playing surface, suggesting it was not ideal for one-day internationals.

Speaking after the match, Asalanka acknowledged that opinions on pitch conditions can differ but pointed to the overall scoring as evidence that the surface was not excessively poor.

“Everyone is entitled to their opinion,” Asalanka said. “But when you look at the match as a whole, the two teams scored around 440 runs. That doesn’t really suggest an unplayable wicket.”

The Sri Lanka skipper also drew comparisons with previous encounters between the two sides, noting that similar scrutiny had not been applied on other occasions when conditions were challenging.

“In the World Cup game in Bengaluru, England were bowled out for around 160, and there wasn’t much discussion about the pitch then,” he added. “So I don’t fully understand why the reaction is so strong this time.”

While defending the Colombo surface against heavy criticism, Asalanka conceded that it did not play as expected, particularly when compared to the first ODI of the series, which offered better conditions for batting.

“I didn’t expect the second pitch to behave that way,” he said. “In the first match, scores of around 270 or 280 were achievable. As a batting side, you always want to give your bowlers more runs to work with. The pitch definitely played differently, but even then, I don’t think it was a 220-run wicket. I was personally aiming for something closer to 250 or 260.”

With the series now level, attention turns to the decider, where pitch conditions and adaptability are once again likely to play a significant role. Both teams will be eager to adjust quickly as they seek to claim the series in Colombo.

Sri Lanka all-rounder Dunith Wellalage produced a match-winning performance in the opening One-Day International against England in Colombo, guiding his side to a 19-run victory and earning the Player of the Match award, which he emotionally dedicated to his late father.

Speaking at the post-match press conference, Wellalage revealed that disciplined execution was the key to Sri Lanka’s success.

“The skipper’s advice was to bowl in good line and length and keep the overs tight. Our plan was to build pressure with disciplined bowling, and by sticking to that plan, we were able to finish on the winning side,” he said.

After winning the toss, Sri Lanka posted a competitive 271 for 6. Openers Pathum Nissanka and Kamil Mishara laid a solid foundation with a 50-run stand before England struck back with early wickets. The innings was then stabilised by Kusal Mendis and Janith Liyanage, whose crucial 88-run partnership helped regain momentum.

Wellalage credited Kusal Mendis for anchoring the innings.

“Much of the credit should go to Kusal. Thanks to his knock we were able to post a competitive total. My role was to support him and stay till the end. The plan was to score between 260 and 270, and thankfully we achieved that,” he explained.

Wellalage added late impetus with an unbeaten 25 off 12 balls, pushing Sri Lanka to a challenging total. England spinner Adil Rashid was the standout bowler for the visitors, finishing with figures of 3 for 44.

In reply, England lost Zak Crawley early, but a strong 117-run partnership between Joe Root and Ben Duckett brought them firmly back into contention. As the pitch slowed in the latter stages, Sri Lanka’s bowlers adjusted smartly and tightened their grip on the game.

“The wicket became a little slow towards the end, so the plan was to reduce pace and bowl good line and lengths,” Wellalage noted.

The strategy paid off as Pramod Madushan led the attack with three wickets, while Wellalage and Jeffrey Vandersay claimed two each, bowling England out for 252.

Reflecting on the emotional significance of the performance, Wellalage paid tribute to his father.

“The last few months have been very hard for me after my father’s death. His wish was to see me represent my country, and I dedicate this Man of the Match award to him,” he said.

Sri Lanka now take early momentum into the remainder of the ODI series as they continue their preparations during England’s 2026 tour.