Hasaranga named in Sri Lanka’s Asia Cup squad

Friday, 29 August 2025 03:19 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}

Wanindu Hasaranga

Leg-spin all-rounder Wanindu Hasaranga who was forced to miss the ongoing white ball tour of Zimbabwe due to a right hamstring injury has been included in Sri Lanka’s 16-man squad named for next month’s Asia Cup in the UAE.

Hasaranga’s participation is subject to fitness, states the SLC media release on the team.

Missing from the Sri Lanka T20I squad named for the three-match series against Zimbabwe are top order batsman Vishan Halambage and leg-spinner Dushan Hemantha.

Sri Lanka are drawn in Group B with Bangladesh, Afghanistan and Hong Kong. They play their first match against Bangladesh on 13 September at Abu Dhabi. The tournament will run from 9-28 September with matches played in Dubai and Abu Dhabi.

Sri Lanka squad for Asia Cup 2025

Charith Asalanka (Captain), Pathum Nissanka, Kusal Mendis, Kusal Perera, Nuwanidu Fernando, Kamindu Mendis, Kamil Mishara, Dasun Shanaka, Wanindu Hasaranga, Dunith Wellalage, Chamika Karunaratne, Maheesh Theekshana, Dushmantha Chameera, Binura Fernando, Nuwan Thushara, Matheesha Pathirana.

Uncapped Halambage, Hemantha named in Sri Lanka’s T20I squad

Defeat to Bangladesh brings about drastic changes for Zimbabwe series

Sri Lanka’s 2-1 loss to Bangladesh in their three-match T20I home series last month has resulted in sweeping changes to their squad of 17 named for the upcoming three-match T20I series against Zimbabwe.

Dropped from the squad are batsmen Dinesh Chandimal and Avishka Fernando, fast bowler Eshan Malinga, leg-spinner Jeffrey Vandersay and spin all-rounder Wanindu Hasaranga who is recovering from a right hamstring injury.

Dushan Hemantha

Replacing them are batsmen Nuwanidu Fernando, Kamil Mishara and uncapped Vishen Halambage, all of whom earned their place with performances in the three-team SLC T20 League, leg-spinner Dushan Hemantha and fast bowler Dushmantha Chameera as Sri Lanka look to find stability in their T20I batting. The rest of the squad remains the same.

20-year-old Vishen Halambage from Ambalangoda, is a former Sri Lanka U19 cricketer who received his education at Stafford International and St Peter’s College, Colombo. He is a powerful striker of the ball and earned his place with some eye-catching performances in T20 domestic cricket where he has an impressive strike rate of 163.33 from 20 matches that includes 30 sixes. He is the nephew of late Sri Lanka first-class cricketer Halambage Premasiri.

Hemantha has yet to receive his T20I cap although he has appeared in five ODIs, the last of it in November 2023. He has been brought in to fill Hasaranga’s absence.

Nuwanidu Fernando, Kamil Mishara and Dushmantha Chameera, all of them members of the Sri Lanka ODI squad playing Zimbabwe in the two-match series, have been recalled to the T20I side. Charith Asalanka retained his position as captain for the T20I series starting in Harare on 3 September with the other two matches on 6 and 7 September.

Sri Lanka T20I squad for Zimbabwe

Charith Asalanka (Captain), Pathum Nissanka, Kusal Mendis, Kusal Perera, Nuwanidu Fernando, Kamindu Mendis, Kamil Mishara, Vishen Halambage, Dasun Shanaka, Dunith Wellalage, Chamika Karunaratne, Maheesh Theekshana, Dushan Hemantha, Dushmantha Chameera, Binura Fernando, Nuwan Thushara, Matheesha Pathirana. – [ST]

Vishen Halambage