Jayawickrama only uncapped player in Lanka’s T20 WC squad

Wanindu Hasaranga, Maheesh Theekshana, and Praveen Jayawickrama are the three key spinners in Sri Lanka T20 World Cup squad 

Deciding against picking the final Sri Lanka squad for the T20 World Cup in UAE and Oman at the end of the ongoing three-match T20I series against South Africa, the national selection committee has gone ahead and finalised the names of the 15 players from the squad of 19 at the completion of the first T20I, which Sri Lanka lost by 28 runs on Friday.

Sri Lanka Cricket CEO Ashley de Silva, when questioned about the sudden change to finalise the 15 when there was enough time till 10 October, said that the 15 were named to give the selected players the confidence to prepare themselves mentally and physically for the T20 World Cup while knowing that they are in the final squad.

He, however, said that in the event of any injury or if the selectors feel that there needs to be a change to the 15-member squad, they can always do that before the 10 October deadline, after which any changes to the team has to be approved by the ICC Technical Committee.  

de Silva also said that virtually all the countries taking part in the T20 World Cup have named their squad of 15 with four reserves, and Sri Lanka was also following the same course.

The squad is relatively inexperienced with only two of the 15 players – wicket-keepers/batsmen Dinesh Chandimal (58) and Kusal Perera (50) – having sufficient experience in T20 Internationals.

The 22-year-old left-arm spinner Praveen Jayawickrama is the only uncapped T20I player in the squad, although he has represented his country at Test and ODIs.

Jayawickrama has more or less taken the place of off-spinner Akila Dananjaya, whose bowling form in the South African white ball series has dropped drastically. Dananjaya returned to international cricket in January this year, subsequently serving a 12-month ban after his action was found to be illegal on two separate occasions within the space of a year. 

With his remodelled action, Dananjaya has been bowling mostly leg-breaks and googlies instead of his stock off-breaks that had gotten him in trouble with the flexion limit. Dananjaya has been named as one of the four reserves.

Apparently, the selectors do not want to take a chance with him during the T20 World Cup where if a bowler is banned from bowling during the tournament, the team he represents cannot request a replacement.

Sri Lanka T20 World Cup Squad: Dasun Shanaka (Captain), Dhananjaya de Silva (Vice-Captain), Kusal Perera, Dinesh Chandimal, Avishka Fernando, Bhanuka Rajapaksa, Charith Asalanka, Wanindu Hasaranga, Kamindu Mendis, Chamika Karunaratne, Nuwan Pradeep, Dushmantha Chameera, Praveen Jayawickrama, Lahiru Madushanka, and Maheesh Theekshana.

Reserves: Lahiru Kumara, Binura Fernando, Akila Dananjaya, and Pulina Tharanga. 

(ST)