Four days before the Twenty20 International series against the West Indies in Dambulla gets underway, Sri Lanka Cricket has unveiled a 17-man roster.
A few players from the team that lost 0–3 against India in July were left off the roster; the most notable absence was that of former captain Dasun Shanaka. The two people that were left out were Dilshan Madushanka and Dushmantha Chameera.
The roster now includes middle-order batsman Bhanuka Rajapaksa, one of the few cricket players to have come back from his international retirement. This is his first opportunity to return to the team since January 2023.
The team’s leader will be Charith Asalanka. The spin-bowling attack will be led by Wanindu Hasaranga, who resigned from leadership following Sri Lanka’s elimination from the T20 World Cup 2024. Maheesh Theekshana, Jeffrey Vandersay, and Dunith Wellalage will be his teammates.
After being in and out of the Lankan lineup for more than two years, Vandersay is expected to play in his maiden Twenty20 international.
October 13 is the start of the series, with games on October 15 and 17 to follow. All three games will take place at Rangiri Dambulla International Stadium. After that, the series moves to the 50-over phase, with an equal number of ODIs taking place in Pallekele.
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The West Indies won both of the white-ball format series while the two-match Test series finished in a 0-0 draw. The two teams last faced off in a bilateral series back in 2021.
Sri Lanka’s T20I squad for series against West Indies
Charith Asalanka (c), Pathum Nissanka, Kusal Mendis, Kusal Perera, Kamindu Mendis, Dinesh Chandimal, Avishka Fernando, Bhanuka Rajapaksa, Wanindu Hasaranga, Maheesh Theekshana, Dunith Wellalage, Jeffrey Vandersay, Chamidu Wickramasinghe, Nuwan Thushara, Matheesha Pathirana, Binura Fernando, Asitha Fernando
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