The Sri Lanka Cricket today announced the 20-member squad for the ‘Sri Lanka Tour of Australia 2022.’ The matches will be played at three venues namley the SCG, Manuka Oval, and MCG, starting from February 11, 2022. Sri Lanka National Team will play 05 T20Is during the tour.
Kariyawasam Indipalage Charith Asalanka
Sri Lanka Cricket’s Selection Committee selected the following squad;
01) Dasun Shanaka – Captain
02) Charith Asalanka – Vice-Captain
03) Avishka Fernando
04) Pathum Nissanka
05) Danushka Gunathilaka
06) Kusal Mendis
07) Dinesh Chandimal
08) Chamika Karunaratne
09) Janith Liyanage
10) Kamil Mishara
11) Ramesh Mendis
12) Wanindu Hasaranga
13) Lahiru Kumara
14) Nuwan Thushara
15) Dushmantha Chameera
16) Binura Fernando
17) Maheesh Theekshana
18) Jeffrey Vandersay
19) Praveen Jayawickrama
20) Shiran Fernando
………………. Bhanuka Rajapaksa and Kusal Janith Perera have not been picked for the series.
There is no room, however, for wicketkeeper-batter Niroshan Dickwella, the other player whose one-year suspension was lifted earlier this month. Bhanuka Rajapaksa, who had been part of Sri Lanka’s middle order during the T20 World Cup, has also been omitted, likely due to concerns over his fitness. Kusal Perera and Dhananjaya de Silva, who had also been in the T20 World Cup squad, have lost their places as well.
Among the uncapped players in the squad are round-arm seamer Nuwan Thushara, top order batter Janith Liyanage, and opener Kamil Mishara. Several of these players have made it into this squad on the back of good Lanka Premier League performances. Among seam bowlers, Thushara was one of the top three wicket-takers in the competition, claiming 12 wickets across eight matches, with an economy rate of 8.11. Liyanage hit 108 runs at a strike rate of 120 in the four LPL matches he played; Kusal Mendis was the tournament’s top run-scorer with 327 runs; and Gunathilaka had the sixth-highest run tally.
Dinesh Chandimal, who had been in Sri Lanka’s squad for last year’s World Cup but was dropped part-way through the tournament, is in this squad too, following an excellent LPL in which he was among the league’s best finishers. Legspinner Jeffrey Vandersay, who had a good finish to the LPL and was excellent in the ODIs against Zimbabwe in January, has also been included.
The only new player not selected on the basis of LPL performances is the 20-year-old Mishara, who did not play a match in the tournament. He has largely been picked on promise.
Elsewhere, there are few surprises. Angelo Mathews has not been picked, partly because of a hamstring injury he was struggling to recover from even during the LPL. And Rajapaksa, who recently retired and then unretired supposedly at the behest of Sri Lanka’s sports minister, on account of not being able to meet the stringent new fitness standards required to be eligible for selection.
The seam attack will be led in Australia by Dushmantha Chameera, and also include Lahiru Kumara, Chamika Karunaratne, Binura Fernando, Shiran Fernando, and Thushara. Nuwan Pradeep has not been picked.
Wanindu Hasaranga (who missed the Zimbabwe ODIs with an injury), Maheesh Theekshana, Vandersay, and Ramesh Mendis form the frontline spin contingent.
The top order will likely consist of Pathum Nissanka, Avishka Fernando, Charith Asalanka (who has been named vice-captain), and perhaps Kusal Mendis and Dinesh Chandimal. Kamindu Mendis has not made the squad.
The first T20I of the series is scheduled for February 11. The matches will be played in Sydney, Canberra and Melbourne.
Sri Lanka defeated West Indies by 20 runs at the T20 World Cup on Thursday, confirming the defending champions’ elimination from the tournament. Chasing 190 to win, West Indies reached 169-8 in their 20 overs, leaving Australia and South Africa to fight for the final semi-final spot from Group 1 where leaders England are already effectively through.
Charith Asalanka (68) and Pathum Nissanka (51) led already-elevated Sri Lanka to 189-3 before Shimron Hetmyer top-scored for West Indies with a career-best unbeaten 81.
Kariyawasam Indipalage Charith Asalanka
