National selectors bring forth radical changes to T20I squad for Pakistan

Saturday, 3 October 2026 00:27 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}

Seven players axed from the England series

By Sa’adi Thawfeeq

Sri Lanka’s 3-0 whitewash in the 3-match T20I series against England has forced radical changes to the 15-member squad named for the three-match T20I series in Pakistan starting later this month.

Only nine of the 16 players who went to England have retained their places while seven have been left out.

Pathum Nissanka and Wanindu Hasaranga have been overlooked for selection due to injuries while batsmen Pavan Rathnayake, Charith Asalanka, and Janith Liyanage and bowlers Tharindu Rathnayake and Dilshan Madushanka have been dropped from the squad that toured England.

These players have been replaced for the Pakistan series by white ball captain Kusal Mendis and left-arm fast bowler Binura Fernando both of whom missed the England tour due to them undergoing rehabilitation following injuries, middle-order batsman Sahan Arachchige, who captained Sri Lanka’s second string team to the Asian Games in Japan, fast bowling all-rounder Chamindu Wickramasinghe, right-arm leg-spinner Vijayakanth Viyaskanth and 21-year-old hard hitting opener Sineth Jayawardene who received his maiden T20I cap in the Asian Games semi-final match against India at Nisshin.

Wickramasinghe has been recalled to the team after 20 months having played his last T20I against New Zealand at Nelson in January 2025. Arachchige, Viyaskanth, Binura Fernando, Nuwan Thushara and Jayawardene were members of the Sri Lankan team that went to Japan for the Asian Games.

Unlike for the tour to England, a vice-captain has not been named. Charith Asalanka was chosen as vice-captain to Kusal Mendis for the England tour and he led Sri Lanka in the three-match T20I series.

Jayawardene, the former Sri Lanka Under19 captain and left-handed opener from Royal College has been in red-hot form with the bat for Tamil Union helping them win the Major Club T20 title beating fancied SSC by seven wickets in the final. He was the leading run-getter in the tournament with 372 runs and a strike rate of 167.56.

In the absence of Wanindu Hasaranga, Viyaskanth will team up with Maheesh Theekshana as the two specialist spinners, while the seam bowling department will have Binura Fernando, Nuwan Thushara, Eshan Malinga and Dushmantha Chameera who has been named subject to fitness having experienced some pain in his leg ahead of the third ODI against England.

Dasun Shanaka and Wickramasinghe go as the fast bowling all-rounders while Dunith Wellalage comes in as the spin all-rounder. Kusal Mendis with 109 T20I appearances and Shanaka with 137 are the two most experienced campaigners in the squad.

The batting looks pretty thin in experience for apart from Kusal Mendis, the rest of the other five batters put together total only 83 T20Is.

The squad leaves for Pakistan for the three T20Is on Sunday. The matches will be played at Rawalpindi on 9, 11 and 13 October.

n The squad: Kamil Mishara, Sineth Jayawardena, Kusal Mendis (Captain), Lahiru Udara, Sahan Arachchige, Kamindu Mendis, Dasun Shanaka, Chamindu Wickramasinghe, Dunith Wellalage, Maheesh Theekshana, Vijayakanth Viyaskanth, Binura Fernando, Nuwan Thushara, Eshan Malinga, Dushmantha Chameera (subject to fitness).