Sri Lankan selectors have announced a 15-member squad for the upcoming ACC Men’s Asia Cup 2023, which will be held in Sri Lanka and Pakistan.
Kusal Janith Perera, who last featured in an ODI for Sri Lanka two years ago, has returned to the squad after fully recovering from his shoulder injury. However, Sri Lanka’s most experienced current batter Angelo Mathews has failed to make the cut.
Mathews failed to impress the selectors on his return to national ODI squad five months ago where he aggregated only 30 runs in 3 innings (18, 0, 12).
>>All you need to know about the Asia Cup 2023
The defending champions Sri Lanka have faced a big blow as their ace spinner Wanindu Hasaranga has been ruled out from the tournament due to a hamstring injury he suffered during the recently concluded Lanka Premier League 2023.
Sri Lanka’s ace fast bowler Dushmantha Chameera will also miss the Asia Cup 2023 as he injured a ligament in his shoulder during the Lanka Premier League 2023. Chameera was not able play a single match during the ICC Cricket World Cup Qualifiers in Zimbabwe in June, due to a pectoral muscle injury.
Sri Lanka’s bowling stocks further depleted with speedsters Lahiru Kumara and Dilshan Madushanka also missing out the showpiece event due to injuries. Dushan Hemantha, Kasun Rajitha, Pramod Madushan and Binura Fernando have been named as replacements for the four injured players in the squad.
>>Injury concerns mount for Sri Lanka
The 20-year old left-arm spinner Dunith Wellalage has also returned to the squad, adding some variety to Sri Lanka’s spin stocks, which stack up with wrist spin (Dushan Hemantha) and off-spin (Maheesh Theekshana and Dhananjaya de Silva) options.
Seaming all-rounder Chamika Karunaratne and off-spinning all-rounder Sahan Arachchige, both of who were part of the Sri Lanka squad for ICC Cricket World Cup Qualifier, have been axed from the Asia Cup squad.
Sri Lanka Squad
Dasun Shanaka (Captain), Pathum Nissanka, Dimuth Karunaratne, Kusal Janith Perera (wk), Kusal Mendis (wk), Charith Asalanka, Sadeera Samarawickrama (wk), Dhananjaya de Silva, Dushan Hemantha, Maheesh Theekshana, Dunith Wellalage, Kasun Rajitha, Binura Fernando, Matheesha Pathirana, Pramod Madushan
The ACC Men’s Asia Cup 2023 will be hosted by Pakistan and Sri Lanka from 30th August to 17th September. Sri Lanka is grouped with Bangladesh and Afghanistan in Group B, while Pakistan, India and Nepal are in Group A.
The top two teams from each group will qualify for the Super Four stage, with the top two teams in this phase advancing to the final of the tournament. Sri Lanka will play their first game of the tournament against Bangladesh on the 31st of August at Pallekele International Cricket Stadium.
