Colombo [Sri Lanka], July 7 : Former captain Dasun Shanaka earned a recall to Sri Lanka's T20I fold after being named in the 17-player squad for the three-match series against Bangladesh, scheduled to kick off on Thursday in Pallekele.
Apart from Shanaka, bowling all-rounder Chamika Karunaratne and left-arm spinner Dunith Wellalage returned to the T20I setup. Wellalage was dropped for the T20Is in New Zealand last year. Bhanuka Rajapaksa, Chamindu Wickramasinghe and Asitha Fernando turned out to be the most notable omissions.
Shanaka found his way back to the team for the first time since July 2024. During his period of absence, he made his presence felt in the franchise circuit. His most recent exploits came for Dubai Capitals in the ILT20 in February, when he transformed himself into a lower-order finisher during the franchise's run to the title.
Karunaratne was dropped in November 2023 and has since focused his efforts solely on the domestic setup. Wanindu Hasaranga, Karunaratne and Wellalage are the only three players to muster 300 runs and take 20 wickets in tournaments organised by Sri Lanka Cricket.
Malinga earned a spot for himself after his run with the Sunrisers Hyderabad in the 18th season of the cash-rich Indian Premier League. He impressed after scalping 13 wickets across seven games at 18.30 behind captain Pat Cummins (16) and Harshal Patel (16) for the Sunrisers. Since bursting into the T20 format in 2022, Malina has gone wicketless just once in 27 innings.
Matheesha Pathirana, Nuwan Thushara and Binura Fernando form a versatile pace attack for Sri Lanka. Shanaka and Karunaratne also offer seam-bowling options, adding further depth to the pace bowling department. The spin bowling department consists of Jeffrey Vandersay, serving as backup to Maheesh Theekshana and Wanindu Hasaranga. Apart from them, Wellalage, Kamindu Mendis, and Charith Asalanka can also pitch in with their ball-tweaking abilities.
Pathum Nissanka, Kusal Mendis, Kusal Perera, Avishka Fernando, Kamindu, Dinesh Chandimal and Asalanka form a formidable batting order, capable of going all guns blazing with their knack of finding boundaries at will.
Sri Lanka's T20I squad: Charith Asalanka (capt), Pathum Nissanka, Kusal Mendis, Kusal Perera, Avishka Fernando, Kamindu Mendis, Dinesh Chandimal, Dasun Shanaka, Dunith Wellalage, Chamika Karunaratne, Wanindu Hasaranga, Maheesh Theekshana, Jeffrey Vandersay, Matheesha Pathirana, Nuwan Thushara, Binura Fernando, Eshan Malinga.