Nissanka returns from injury, two changes to ODI squad

• Three-match ODI series with Bangladesh commences today

By Sa’adi Thawfeeq

Sri Lanka will be mindful that the last occasion they met Bangladesh in a bilateral ODI series in 2021 they lost it 2-1 giving the home team their first ever series win against them, and will be keen to reverse it.

Having defeated Bangladesh 2-1 in the recently concluded three-match T20I series, Sri Lanka will have their tails up when the three-match ODI series commences at Chattogram under lights today. They can also take in the fact that Bangladesh has lost their last two home series to Afghanistan and New Zealand and are looking to avoid a third straight defeat.

The return of opening batsman Pathum Nissanka from a hamstring injury that kept him out of the T20I series will be a tremendous boost for Sri Lanka. Nissanka is the leading run-scorer in the calendar year with 346 runs at an average of 173 and a strike rate of 134.63 from three matches. Those runs include a classic 210* against Afghanistan which made Nissanka the first Sri Lankan batsman to score a double hundred in this format. Ever since that epoch-making knock Nissanka’s scores have been 18, 118, 6, 25 and 60* the last innings signifying that he was forced to retire hurt in the third T20I against Afghanistan with the injury.

Now fully recovered, Nissanka should team up with his opening partner Avishka Fernando and produce the opening partnerships that gave Sri Lanka the upper hand against Afghanistan. Fernando had a poor series against Bangladesh in the T20Is being dismissed for scores of 4 and 0 and was dropped from the third match. His lack of form could make way for Kamindu Mendis to open the batting with Nissanka. Mendis has been in good touch in the T20I series despite not being able to make a noteworthy contribution.

Sri Lanka’s 16-man squad for the ODI series sees two changes from the one picked for the series against Afghanistan. Injured fast bowler Asitha Fernando has been replaced by Lahiru Kumara, and in-form Kamindu Mendis comes in for Shevon Daniel who has been dropped.

Fast bowler Kumara, who is coming back from injury will team up with Dilshan Madushanka and Pramod Madushan to provide the firepower. The spin bowling will be in the hands of Wanindu Hasaranga, Maheesh Theekshana, Akila Dananjaya and Dunith Wellalage who comes in as one of three bowling all-rounders, the other two being Hasaranga and seamer Chamika Karunaratne.

Kumara has been out of white ball cricket largely through injuries since October 2023, when he made his last ODI appearance for his country.

The batting looks pretty solid with the two openers at the top followed by the skipper Kusal Mendis, Sadeera Samarawickrama, Charith Asalanka and Janith Liyanage.

The series is played in the port city of Chattogram where conditions are usually batting-friendly, but the dew factor is something that both teams will have to consider at this time of the year.

SRI LANKA ODI SQUAD v BANGLADESH

Kusal Mendis (captain), Charith Asalanka (vice-captain), Pathum Nissanka, Avishka Fernando, Kamindu Mendis, Sadeera Samarawickrama, Charith Asalanka, Janith Liyanage, Sahan Arachchige, Chamika Karunaratne, Wanindu Hasaranga, Dunith Wellalage, Maheesh Theekshana, Akila Dananjaya, Dilshan Madushanka, Pramod Madushan, Lahiru Kumara.