Uncapped Nuwanidu and Pathirana get call ups for Australia T20Is

Thursday, 2 June 2022 01:05 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}

Matheesha Pathirana

Nuwanidu Fernando

Two uncapped players top order batsman Nuwanidu Fernando and right-arm seamer Matheesha Pathirana were named in Sri Lanka’s 18-member T20I squad to meet Australia in a three-match series commencing 7 June at the R Premadasa Stadium.

Fernando, the 22-year-old younger brother of Sri Lanka Test fast bowler Vishwa Fernando has been selected on the back of his unbeaten knock of 126 off 67 balls for the Sri Lanka Development XI which enabled them to sign off a six-match tour of England with a win over Gloucestershire.

Teenage pace sensation Pathirana (19) who represented his country in the last Under-19 World Cup caught the limelight when he took a wicket with his first ball in IPL cricket for Chennai Super Kings. Pathirana who bowls with a slingy action akin to the legendary Lasith Malinga came in for particular praise from the CSK skipper MS Dhoni who rated him an “excellent death bowler” who had a big margin for error because he is difficult to hit in the air.

Sri Lanka also have another round-arm bowler of a similar action in the squad Nuwan Thushara who played two T20I early this year.

Fast bowler Kasun Rajitha who impressed in Bangladesh in the recently concluded Test series and left-arm wrist spinner Lakshan Sandakan make a return to the T20I squad, while there is no place for all-rounder Dhananjaya de Silva, wicket-keeper batters Dinesh Chandimal and Niroshan Dickwella, fast bowler Lahiru Kumara and leg-spinner Jeffrey Vandersay. Dickwella and Vandersay have been relegated to the standby players list.

Sri Lanka will miss the services of top order white ball batters Avishka Fernando and Kusal Perera who remain unavailable through injury. Fernando has not played since February recovering from a knee injury and Perera’s last appearance for Sri Lanka was in November 2021 fighting to recover from an injured shoulder.

Wanindu Hasaranga and Maheesh Theekshana who both had successful stints in the IPL head the spin department. Hasaranga in particular had an excellent season with Royal Challengers Bangalore picking up 26 wickets at an economy rate of 7.54 and missing by one wicket to be the leading wicket-taker and claim the Purple Cap which was won by another similar bowler of his type Yuzvendra Chahal of the champion side Gujarat Titans. Ramesh Mendis, Sandakan and Praveen Jayawickrama are the other spin options for all-rounder Dasun Shanaka who has been retained as captain for the series. In fact, all six cricketers from Sri Lanka who played in the IPL found a place in the squad with Dushmantha Chameera and Chamika Karunaratne joined by Lahiru Madushanka, Rajitha, Thushara and Pathirana forming the pace front.

The batting sees Danushka Gunathilaka, Pathum Nissanka (returning after a back injury), Kusal Mendis (who is likely to keep wickets), Charith Asalanka, Bhanuka Rajapaksa and Nuwanidu Fernando all in the running for the top order spots with Shanaka, Karunaratne and Madushanka as the middle order options.

SRI LANKA T20I SQUAD: Dasun Shanaka (Captain), Pathum Nissanka, Danushka Gunathilaka, Kusal Mendis, Charith Asalanka, Bhanuka Rajapaksa, Nuwanidu Fernando, Lahiru Madushanka, Wanindu Hasaranga, Chamika Karunaratne, Dushmantha Chameera, Kasun Rajitha, Nuwan Thushara, Matheesha Pathirana, Ramesh Mendis, Maheesh Theekshana, Praveen Jayawickrama, Lakshan Sandakan, Standby players: Jeffrey Vandersay, Niroshan Dickwella.