In addition to announcing a 25-person provisional team for the 2026 ICC T20 World Cup, Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) also announced a significant leadership shift. Former captain Dasun Shanaka has been named captain of the T20I team for the duration of the international competition, replacing Charith Asalanka.
Following Sri Lanka’s recent trip to Pakistan, where Asalanka captained the team during a tri-series before returning home in the middle due to illness, the squad’s leadership was changed. Shanaka then took over as interim captain. Despite making it to the championship game, Sri Lanka was soundly defeated by Pakistan. Following a suicide explosion in Islamabad, security concerns caused disruptions to the tour itself, resulting in modifications to match schedules and locations.
Chief selector Pramodya Wickramasinghe affirmed that head coach Sanath Jayasuriya and high-performance head Jerome Jayaratne were consulted before Shanaka was appointed. Additionally, he explained that the selection panel decided to stick with the 25 players on the list that the previous committee had created.
“After speaking with head coach Sanath Jayasuriya, we also determined that Dasun Shanaka should serve as captain till the end of the World Cup. A list of twenty-five players had been selected by the previous committee. We had conversations with Sanath Jayasuriya and Jerome Jayaratne, the head of high performance. Upul Tharanga Wickramasinghe, the chief selector for Sri Lanka Cricket, said in a statement, “We decided to announce the same 25 as a preliminary squad for the World Cup.”
Dasun is viewed by us as an all-around player: Upul Tharanga
Wickramasinghe explained the choice by saying that Shanaka’s three T20 World Cup experience was a major factor in his selection. Although Shanaka will serve as the team’s captain, the selectors largely see him as an all-around player, and they will work with the coaching staff to determine his precise position.
“Dasun is an all-around player that we are considering. Wickramasinghe continued, “We’ll need to speak with Sanath Jayasuriya and determine what is expected of him.
Asalanka, who has been captain of Sri Lanka since the middle of 2024, is still a member of the team. The decision was mostly influenced by his batting results in T20Is this year, which included 156 runs at a strike rate of 122 from 12 innings. The selectors think that releasing him from leadership duties will enable him to recover in time for the crucial home series against England and Pakistan. The return of wicketkeeper-batter Niroshan Dickwella is one of the preliminary squad’s noteworthy changes. He was recalled after playing his final Twenty20 International match for Sri Lanka in June 2021.
Sri Lanka’s World Cup preliminary team
Dasun Shanaka (c), Charith Asalanka, Pathum Nissanka, Kusal Perera, Niroshan Dickwella, Janith Liyanage, Wanindu Hasaranga, Dhananjaya de Silva, Kusal Mendis, Kamil Mishara, Dunith Wellalage, Milan Rathnayake, Kamindu Mendis, Pavan Rathnayake, Sahan Arachchige, Nuwan Thushara, Eshan Malinga, Dushan Hemantha, Vijayakanth Viyaskanth, Traveen Mathew, Dushmantha Chameera, Pramod Madushan, Matheesha Pathirana, Dilshan Madushanka, Maheesh Theekshana
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