Chandimal, Lakmal back in the fray for white ball cricket

 Suranga Lakmal and Dinesh Chandimal are back in contention for white ball cricket

• Picked to play in SLC Invitational T20 league
• Test Captain Dimuth Karunaratne and former Captain Angelo Mathews overlooked

By Sa’adi Thawfeeq

Two former Sri Lanka captains and senior cricketers Dinesh Chandimal and Suranga Lakmal both overlooked by the national selectors for the recent white ball series against Bangladesh, England and India have been recalled to play in the invitational T20 league conducted by Sri Lanka Cricket.

The move is a forerunner to next month’s white ball series (ODI and T20I) against South Africa (2-14 September) and the ICC T20 World Cup in the UAE and Oman from 17 October to 14 November.

Sri Lanka Test Captain Dimuth Karunaratne and former Captain Angelo Mathews, who were also overlooked for the three white ball series, were not selected for the 12-day, 13-match tournament that will run from 12 to 24 August, with all the matches being played at the Pallekele International Cricket Stadium.

Karunaratne has not figured in any T20I cricket for his country and Mathews has made himself unavailable for selection until further notice.

With Sri Lanka continuing to string together a series of losses in the white ball format, the selectors who adopted a policy of leaving out the seniors and picking a team of youngsters came in for heavy criticism from all quarters.

SLC’s newly elected Tournament Committee Chairman Samantha Dodanwela said that the tournament was a one-off event and not an annual one, and that it was being conducted in the absence of any T20 matches ahead of the series against South Africa and the T20 World Cup.

Initially, SLC were banking on the second edition of the Lanka Premier League (LPL) which has now been postponed for November-December. 

“Since we could not have the LPL in preparation for the South African series and the T20 World Cup, SLC was of the view that it is important that we play a T20 tournament because we could not have the inter-club T20 due to the pandemic. Initially, we were targeting the LPL to pick the sides for the South African series and the T20 World Cup but due to it being postponed, it was decided that we conduct this tournament,” said Dodanwela. “It will be used as a guideline for national selection for the South African series and the T20 World Cup. The cream of Sri Lanka’s cricketers will be involved.”

The four teams namely, SLC Blues, SLC Greens, SLC Reds and SLC Greys will be captained by Dhananjaya de Silva, Ashan Priyanjan, Dinesh Chandimal and national white ball captain Dasun Shanaka respectively.

The four squads of 15 players each comprises all the players who figured in the recent T20I series win over India along with some tried and tested Sri Lankan players like Mahela Udawatte, Asela Gunaratne, Seekkuge Prasanna, Chaturanga de Silva and Milinda Siriwardana. Kusal Perera, who was forced to miss the series against India due to a shoulder injury, legspinner Wanindu Hasaranga and fast bowler Dushmantha Chameera, who played a pivotal role in Sri Lanka’s victory in the T20I series, have been rested from the tournament.

The Teams

SLC BLUES: Dhananjaya de Silva (Captain), Angelo Perera (Vice-Captain), Nishan Madushka (wk), Ashen Bandara, Sahan Arachchige, Suranga Lakmal, Praveen Jayawickrama, Sadeera Samarawickrama (wk), Himasha Liyanage, Lahiru Samarakoon, Kalana Perera, Mahesh Theekshana, Hashan Randika, Pawan Ratnayake, Dhananjaya Lakshan, Dilshan Madushanka, Sachindu Colombage, Shiran Fernando.

SLC GREENS: Ashan Priyanjan (Captain), Kamindu Mendis (Vice-Captain), Lahiru Udara (wk), Kamil Mishara (wk), Ramesh Mendis, Lahiru Kumara,Lasith Embuldeniya, Mahela Udawatte, Pathum Nissanka, Suminda Lakshan, Vishwa Fernando, Lakshan Sandakan, Krishan Sanjula, Saminda Fernando, Sammu Ashan, Ishan Jayaratne, Nuwan Thushara, Lahiru Gamage.

SLC REDS: Dinesh Chandimal (Captain/wk), Avishka Fernando (Vice-Captain), Asela Gunaratne, Seekkuge Prasanna, Binura Fernando, Nimesh Vimukthi, Nipun Dananjaya, Oshada Fernando, Lasith Abeyratne, Chamika Karunaratne, Mohomed Shiraz, Akila Dananjaya, Sandun Weerakkody, Muditha Lakshan, Jehan Daniel, Asitha Fernando, Santhush Gunathilake, Himesh Ramanayake

SLC GREYS: Dasun Shanaka (Captain), Charith Asalanka (Vice-Captain), Minod Bhanuka (wk), Nuwanindu Fernando, Chathuranga de Silva, Udith Madushan, Pulina Tharanga, Lasith Croospulle, Bhanuka Rajapaksa, Lahiru Madushanka, Nuwan Pradeep, Ashen Daniel, Sangeeth Cooray, Milinda Siriwardana, Chamika Gunasekara, Prabath Jayasuriya, Koshan Jayawickrama, Matheesha Pathirana.