The Sri Lanka Cricket selection committee today (28) announced a 20-man squad to tour India for a limited series in January 2023.
The team is led in both formats by Dasun Shanaka, while all-rounder Wanindu Hasaranga has been named their vice-captain for the T20Is.
At ODIs, Kusal Mendis will be Shanaka’s deputy.
Three players – Dhananjaya Lakshan, Asitha Fernando and Dinesh Chandimal – have been left out of the squad that hosted Afghanistan last month.
Chandimal was one of the better players in the recently concluded Lanka Premier League; the tournament’s third-highest run scorer, averaging 31.88 points at a strike rate of 126.99 points, and played a key role in helping the Colombo Stars reach the finals.
The two teams will initially play a three-game T20I series followed by as many ODIs.
Nuwanidu Fernando has been called up to the ODI setup for the first time after a string of good performances in the domestic tournaments and also in the Lanka Premier League.
He averaged 40.25 in 31 top-flight games after notching 1,771 runs, including six centuries and seven-half centuries.
The Sri Lankan players have competed in the Abu Dhabi T10 League and the recently concluded Lanka Premier League and are in good touch when they face India.
Avishka Fernando has recovered from the injury sustained in Australia and will be back in the squad.
Fernando, who returned to the game this month after nearly a year out with a knee injury, appears to have not missed a shot, and was the LPL’s top scorer with 339 runs and is leading another Jaffna Kings title shot.
The same goes for his Jaffna team-mate Sadeera Samarawickrama, who was voted player of the tournament for his 294 runs – second only to Fernando – and has been a linchpin of their middle class.
Like Samarawickrama, Nuwanidu was another racquet that stood out in the LPL – albeit a bit rough around the edges.
While his Galle Gladiators squad struggled with inconsistencies, the 23-year-old managed to stand out by hitting 211 runs with a batting average of 131.05 – and most importantly, showing off his ability to clear the ropes, especially against spinners .
Chamika Karunaratne, who was controversially ruled out of the team for the series against Afghanistan for his allegedly indiscipline behaviour during the T20 World Cup in Australia, however, impressed during the LPL while playing for the Kandy Falcons and was named for both ODI and ODI convened T20I series.
Promod Madushan and Dilshan Madushanka are back in the squad after being injured recently.
Sri Lanka Squad for India T20Is
Dasun Shanaka (Captain), Pathum Nissanka, Avishka Fernando, Sadeera Samarawickrama, Kusal Mendis, Bhanuka Rajapaksa, Charith Asalanka, Dhananjaya de Silva, Wanindu Hasaranga (VC), Ashen Bandara, Maheesh Theekshana, Chamika Karunaratne, Dilshan Madushanka, Kasun Rajitha, Dunith Wellalage, Pramod Madushan, Lahiru Kumara, Nuwan Thushara.
Sri Lanka Squad for India ODIs
Dasun Shanaka (C), Pathum Nissanka, Avishka Fernando, Sadeera Samarawickrama, Kusal Mendis (VC), Charith Asalanka, Dhananjaya de Silva, Wanindu Hasaranga, Ashen Bandara, Maheesh Theekshana, Jeffrey Vandersay, Chamika Karunaratne, Dilshan Madushanka, Kasun Rajitha, Nuwanidu Fernando, Dunith Wellalage, Pramod Madushan, Lahiru Kumara.
