Sri Lanka Cricket Team on Tuesday (9th January) announced the strong 16-member squad for the upcoming T20I series against Zimbabwe. Leg-spinner Wanindu Hasaranga will be captaining the team with Charith Asalanka being his deputy.
Veteran Angelo Matthews has returned to the team after a gap of almost two years. He last played for the team in the game against West Indies in 2021. Apart from him, Akila Dananjaya too has been recalled into the team after a gap of two years, having played last against South Africa in 2021.
Sri Lanka will be hosting Zimbabwe in a three-match T20I series. The first match will be played on 14th January followed by the second game scheduled to be played on 16th January. The focus will then shift to the last game, which will be played on 18th January. All three games will be played at the same venue in RPICS, Colombo.
Pathum Nissanka has been drafted into the team as well. But his availability will be subject to the fitness. The batter was down with dengue and was ruled out of the ODI series against Zimbabwe. Management would be hoping that he recovers soon and takes the field.
Dhananjaya de Silva, Mathews, and Dasun Shanaka are the all-rounders in the team whereas Kusal Mendis, Asalanka, Sadeera Samarawickrama, and Kusal Perera are the desired batters in the team. Dilshan Madushanka, Nuwan Thushara, Matheesha Pathirana, and Dushmantha Chameera are the pacers who made it into the squad.
Sri Lanka’s spin department will be the key for them. Skipper Hasaranga, Maheesh Theekshana, and Dananjaya will be taking charge of the ball. The series will mark the beginning of a new essay in the Sri Lanka Cricket.
The series will be crucial for them in the context of the ICC T20 World 2024 and also they would be hoping to get their combination right. It will be a great opportunity for them to identify the players that they want to take to the USA and Caribbean for the World Cup.
The last few months have been difficult for the Sri Lanka Cricket. Be it performance-wise or external issues, it hasn’t been great for them. However, they would be hoping to rejuvenate themselves, get back on track, and make themselves a strong candidate to win the T20 World Cup.
Sri Lanka produced good performances in the ODIs against Zimbabwe. The first match was washed out due to the rain but they had a great outing with the bat. In the second game, they defeated the opposition by 2 wickets and took a 1-0 lead in the series.
They would be hoping to continue the momentum in the T20I series and would want to begin their preparations for the T20 World Cup on a high note.
SL vs ZIM: Sri Lanka Announces Strong 16-Member Squad For Zimbabwe T20Is
Here’s Sri Lanka’s T20I squad for the upcoming Zimbabwe series:
Wanindu Hasaranga – Captain
Charith Asalanka – Vice Captain
Kusal Mendis
Sadeera Samarawickrama
Kusal Perera
Angelo Mathews
Dasun Shanaka
Dhananjaya de Silva
Kamindu Mendis
Pathum Nissanka – subject to fitness Maheesh Theekshana
Dushmantha Chameera
Dilshan Madushanka
Matheesha Pathirana
Nuwan Thushara
Akila Dananjaya
