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Chamindu Wickramasinghe
Bhanuka Rajapaksa
By Sa’adi Thawfeeq
The last two months has proved quite a productive one for Sri Lanka in red ball cricket winning 3 out of 5 Tests against England and New Zealand and placing themselves with a chance of qualifying for the ICC World Test Championship.
For the next three months there won’t be any red ball cricket played and Sri Lanka will have to switch onto the white ball format with West Indies due to arrive next week to play a three-match T20I series in Dambulla followed by a three-match ODI series in Pallekele. They will be followed by New Zealand for two white ball series.
Sri Lanka’s last T20I series was against the current World Cup champions India which they lost 3-0 at Pallekele, but since that defeat Sri Lanka has certainly turned things around with a 2-0 defeat of India in the ODI series, a Test win in England and a 2-0 series sweep against New Zealand.
What the Test squad has gone through, Sri Lanka needs to bring into the T20I side for the upcoming series against West Indies which starts on 13 October at Dambulla, if they are to come out winners. Sri Lanka has not won a bilateral T20I series against West Indies in three attempts, the nearest they have come to is draw 1-all in 2015. The last two series they have lost 2-0 in Sri Lanka in 2020 and 2-1 in the West Indies in 2021.
Sri Lanka are unlikely to make any big changes to their squad from the one picked for the T20I series against India except for all-rounder Dasun Shanaka who does not find a place amongst the 18 players selected. Shanaka’s contribution in his last three innings has been three ducks, and he has not done anything immeasurably since then to be retained in the squad.
In Shanaka’s place Sri Lanka are looking at grooming 22-year-old exciting fast bowling all-rounder Chamindu Wickramasinghe who made his international debut in the third T20I against India replacing Shanaka. Wickramasinghe is to be given a run in the series against West Indies.
Shanaka’s place in the squad has gone to hard hitting left-hander Bhanuka Rajapaksa who once again finds himself in favour. Rajapaksa’s last appearance for his country was against India at Pune in January 2023.
Sri Lanka has picked a squad of 18 because two of the players are subject to fitness.
Fast bowlers Matheesha Pathirana and Nuwan Thushara are expected to confirm their fitness after they play in a practice match arranged for 10 October at Dambulla and in the NSL 50-over final between Colombo and Jaffna at Dambulla on 6 October. Pathirana suffered a shoulder injury and Thushara a fractured thumb during the Indian series.
Another fast bowler Dushmantha Chameera continues to be on the sidelines after suffering from bronchitis and respiratory infection during the Indian series and later pulled a muscle in his abdomen.
The wickets, it is learnt will not be as slow as it was for the series against India, but will be slightly in favour of spin, knowing the West Indies batsman’s weakness against it. With Sri Lanka having a balanced seam and spin attack, the wickets are expected to favour both types.
The squad is awaiting ratification from the Sports Minister.
