23 players in NSL 4-day squads fail fitness test

• Fifth edition gets underway today
• Can Galle make it three-in-a-row?

By Sa’adi Thawfeeq

The fifth edition of the National Super League (NSL) 4-day Tournament gets underway today at two venues – the Rangiri Dambulla Stadium and R. Premadasa International Cricket Stadium – with the participation of four teams.

The national selectors picked a squad of 87 players for the four teams based on their performances in the recently concluded Major Club 3-day League. The most glaring factor here is that 23 of those 87 players picked have failed the fitness test conducted by Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC).

These players, however, will be able to play in the tournament, but they have been given time till 19 April to pass the fitness test. Failure to do so will result in them being denied their match fees, as well as not being considered for future NSL contracts. 

Poor fitness was a crucial factor in Sri Lanka’s poor performance in the recently concluded T20 World Cup, where at least four key players were in the injured list, depriving the team of its full strength.

Galle, captained by Pasindu Sooriyabandara, this year will be looking to make it three-in-a-row. Galle were champions in 2024 and 2025 and, in both the years, they were led by Ramesh Mendis. Galle opens the defence of their title at Dambulla against Kandy, who are captained by Sahan Arachchige. 

The other game commencing today is between last year’s losing finalist Dambulla, who are led by national Test captain Dhananjaya de Silva, and Colombo, captained by Charith Asalanka, at the R. Premadasa Stadium.

A feature of the four selected teams is the inclusion of eight outstanding schoolboy cricketers – Dulnith Sigera and Viran Chamuditha (both Galle), Kavija Gamage and Sethmika Seneviratne (both Colombo), Himal Ravihansa (Dambulla), and Chamika Heenatigala, Vigneshwaran Akash, and Dimantha Mahavithana (all from Kandy).

Last year, five teams competed, including Jaffna. Explaining the reason for reducing the teams to four this year, Tournament Committee Chairman Nalin Aponso said: “This year we have reduced it to four teams because 28 players have been picked to represent Sri Lanka ‘A’ against touring New Zealand ‘A’ in the ongoing series. There is also the time factor because the New Zealand ‘A’ tour does not finish until the end of April.”

Following the opening weekend of matches in the NSL 4-day, there will be a lull for 10 days due to the Sinhala and Tamil New Year. The matches will resume on 19 April with the final scheduled for 4 May.

The teams

Galle

Oshada Fernando, Sadeera Samarawickrama, Nipun Dhananjaya, Dinesh Chandimal, Niroshan Dickwella, Ahan Wickramasinghe, Pasindu Sooriyabandara (Captain), Ramesh Mendis, Dulnith Sigera, Muditha Lakshan, Dilum Sudeera, Vijayakanth Viyaskanth, Dilshan Madushanka, Asanka Manoj, Isitha Wijesundara, Udith Madushan, Viran Chamuditha, Kevin Perera, Keshara Nuwantha, Nimsara Atharagalla, Milan Rathnayake

Colombo

Avishka Fernando, Ravindu Rasantha, Kavija Gamage, Dhananjaya Lakshan, Ranesh Silva, Charith Asalanka (Captain), Janith Liyanage, Sharujan Shanmuganathan, Dushan Hemantha, Kavishka Anjula, Prabath Jayasuriya, Nishan Peiris, Kasun Rajitha, Pramod Madushan, Nipun Premaratne, Chamod Battage, Tharindu Amarasinghe, Sethmika Seneviratne, Sandeepa Perera, Duvindu Tillakaratne, Nuwanidu Fernando

Dambulla

Lasith Croospulle, Nishan Madushka, Thanuka Dabare, Sahan Kosala, Dhananjaya de Silva (Captain), Kaveen Bandara, Akram Muthalib, Anjala Bandara, Vishad Randika, Raveen de Silva, Lahiru Samarakoon, Shakthi Udara, Akila Dananjaya, Asitha Fernando, Vishwa Fernando, Mohamed Shiraz, Dhanuja Induwara, Kavindu Pathiratne, Chamindu Wickramasinghe, Dasun Shanaka, Himal Ravihansa, Pavan Rathnayake, Sonal Dinusha

Kandy

Lahiru Udara, Navod Paranavithana, Pawantha Weerasinghe, Chamika Heenatigala, Sohan de Livera, Ashen Bandara, Sahan Arachchige (Captain), Ravindu Fernando, Chamika Karunaratne, Wanuja Sahan, Jeffrey Vandersay, Tharindu Rathnayake, Lahiru Kumara, Shiran Fernando, Dulaj Samuditha, Shammu Ashan, Vigneshwaran Akash, Kavindu Dilhara, Chamika Gunasekara, Dimantha Mahavithana, Kanchana de Livera, Kamil Mishara