England’s Sri Lanka series win sharpens World Cup selection questions

England’s 2-1 one-day international series win over Sri Lanka has brought several World Cup selection choices into sharper focus. Tom Banton’s first international century and a rapid innings from Jordan Cox helped deliver a 223-run victory at The Oval on 27 September, but the opening partnership and bowling balance remain unsettled. Head coach Brendon McCullum also says England are trying to arrange more 50-over warm-up games as they prepare for next year’s tournament.

Banton made 126 from 105 balls and Cox scored 76 from 52 as England reached 355 for seven. Sri Lanka were dismissed for 132 in 29.1 overs. Harry Brook added 77 from 66 balls, giving England three substantial contributions in a series decider that followed a difficult period for their ODI side.

BBC Sport reports that England have now won all three of their 50-over series this year. The improvement follows a run in which, according to the BBC, they lost six of seven ODI series between the end of the 2023 World Cup and the end of 2024, then left the Champions Trophy without a victory. Recent results give selectors more options, while leaving decisions about roles and combinations ahead of them.

Banton changes the opening discussion

Banton’s innings put his case at the top of the order in view. The Guardian reported that he had played only three List A matches in the preceding five years, including two in the week before the decider. Describing the demands of the format, Banton said: ‘Having not played too much 50-over cricket, you forget how long you have got to bat.’ His century followed a 73 in the previous match at Headingley.

The September ODI squad included Duckett, Banton and Cox, but that pre-series selection says nothing definitive about England’s World Cup opening pair. For now, Banton’s century adds to the case selectors must weigh alongside Duckett’s earlier scores and Bethell’s eventual return.

Cox’s chance and the spin question

Cox’s opportunity followed Jos Buttler’s hamstring injury in the second ODI. The Guardian reported that Cox’s 76 in the decider was his first List A half-century, coming in his tenth match in the format. He helped England accelerate after Brook’s dismissal, while his wicketkeeping to the spinners also drew notice in the match report. Buttler’s fitness and Cox’s form will matter as England assess their batting depth.

Spin presents a separate choice. Liam Dawson replaced Rehan Ahmed for the decider and returned three wickets for 26 runs in eight overs. BBC Sport contrasts Dawson’s control with Ahmed’s performances in the first two matches and says Adil Rashid, injured during this series, remains central to England’s plans. Rashid will be 39 at the World Cup, according to the BBC; Dawson’s display gives England another recent performance to consider when choosing support for him.

Seam places and preparation

The seam-bowling picture could tighten when Sam Curran returns from a groin injury. BBC Sport says his left-handed batting and seam bowling could change the balance of England’s top seven. It names Jofra Archer, Gus Atkinson, Jamie Overton, Josh Tongue and Sonny Baker among the quicks competing for what it describes as at most three places in a first-choice XI with Curran available. That is an assessment of possible balance, rather than an announced selection.

The Oval offered evidence for several of those options. Baker dismissed Pathum Nissanka with his second delivery for his first ODI wicket, while Atkinson took two wickets in the powerplay. Dawson claimed three wickets and Will Jacks took the final one; the Guardian reported that Jacks was named player of the series. The performances leave England with recent contributions to judge as injured players return.

McCullum told BBC Test Match Special that England were ‘trying to include a number of warm-up games’ in their winter plans. ‘A lot of these guys just haven't played a lot of white-ball cricket,’ he said. The BBC report gives no opponents, venues or dates for those proposed 50-over matches. His comments add preparation time to the selection discussion, but do not establish a confirmed fixture list.

England already have ten home ODIs in their published 2027 schedule, including a five-match series against New Zealand in September. The ECB describes those games as part of the team’s World Cup preparation. Those fixtures offer further chances to assess the players now pressing for places. McCullum has also discussed Brook’s captaincy in an earlier England story, but this series has brought the immediate ODI decisions around batting order and bowling balance into view.