Sri Lanka finalises 15-member squad for T20 World Cup

• Nissanka, Asalanka, Karunaratne, Theekshana make the cut

By Sa’adi Thawfeeq

Pathum Nissanka

Charith Asalanka

Chamika Karunaratne

Maheesh Theekshana

Four players who made their white ball debut this year have made the cut in Sri Lanka’s final squad of 15 picked for the seventh edition of the ICC T20 World Cup to be held in UAE and Oman from 17 October to 14 November.

The squad was finalized after the two warm-up matches against Oman – a day ahead of the 10 October deadline set by the ICC for all teams participating in the tournament.

Batsmen Pathum Nissanka who broke into international cricket in March against West Indies and Charith Asalanka who made his white ball debut in England in June, fast bowling all-rounder Chamika Karunaratne who played his first white ball game against Bangladesh in May and off-spinner Maheesh Theekshana who came into the limelight in white ball cricket against South Africa last month have made it into the final squad of 15.

The players unlucky to be left out were Kamindu Mendis, Praveen Jayawickrama, Pulina Tharanga, Minod Bhanuka, Ashen Bandara, Lakshan Sandakan, Ramesh Mendis and Nuwan Pradeep who picked up a hamstring injury during the first warm-up match against Oman on Thursday and has been replaced in the 15 by Binura Fernando who last played a white ball match against England in July. All these players will be part of the 23-member squad Sri Lanka have taken to the UAE.

Sri Lanka has taken a big gamble by including controversial off-spinner Akila Dananjaya who has twice been reported to the ICC for a suspect bowling action and has now resorted to bowling leg-spin deliveries which has made his wicket-taking ability less effective. 

In nine T20I matches this year Dananjaya has taken six wickets at an average of 48.16 and an economy rate of 9.27 runs an over, hardly making him the match-winning bowler he was prior to being reported. In the two warm-up matches against Oman, Dananjaya was scarcely effective conceding 49 runs in 5 overs without taking a wicket.

Batsman Kusal Perera who has recovered from a hamstring injury along with leg-spinning all-rounder Wanindu Hasaranga and fast bowler Dushmantha Chameera are expected to return to the Sri Lanka side for their two remaining practice-matches against Bangladesh on 12 October and Papua New Guinea on 14 October. 

Hasaranga and Chameera were given permission by Sri Lanka Cricket to represent Royal Challengers Bangalore in the ongoing IPL tournament till 10 October after which they have to join the World Cup squad, although the Bangalore side has qualified for the play-offs by finishing third.

Sri Lanka commence their T20 World Cup campaign on 18 October against Namibia. It will be followed by matches against Ireland on 20 October and Netherlands on 22 October. Sri Lanka has to finish in the top two of their group to qualify to play in the Super12s of the T20 World Cup that commences on 23 October.

Sri Lanka’s T20 World Cup squad of 15 (with age and T20I appearances): Dasun Shanaka (Captain, Age 30, T20Is 49), Dhananjaya de Silva (Vice Captain, 30, 23), Kusal Perera (31, 52), Dinesh Chandimal (31, 59), Pathum Nissanka (23, 4), Charith Asalanka (24, 3), Avishka Fernando (23, 22), Bhanuka Rajapaksa (29, 10), Chamika Karunaratne (25, 6), Wanindu Hasaranga (24, 25), Dushmantha Chameera (29, 31), Lahiru Kumara (24, 7), Maheesh Theekshana (21, 3), Akila Dananjaya (28, 31), Binura Fernando (26, 4).