Saturday Nov 16, 2024
Saturday Nov 16, 2024
Saturday, 10 June 2023 00:19 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}
By Sa’adi Thawfeeq
It seems that the national selectors’ alliance with veteran cricketer Angelo Mathews is over after he was left out of Sri Lanka’s squad of 15 players named for the ICC World Cup Qualifier in Zimbabwe later this month.
While Mathews with 221 ODIs under his belt fails to make the cut, two other batsmen who was also recalled to ODI cricket with him, Dimuth Karunaratne and Sadeera Samarawickrama have been selected, along with rookie fast bowler Matheesha Pathirana and leg-spinner Dushan Hemantha, both of whom made their ODI debuts in the first game against Afghanistan at Hambantota.
Following the constant failure of the top and middle order in the batting the selectors fell back on experience and brought back Mathews for the ODI series against New Zealand and retained him for the home series against Afghanistan. But the former captain with a string of low scores 18, 0 and 12 failed to impress, with Sri Lanka finishing on the losing side on all three occasions.
Karunaratne after failing in his first attempt against Afghanistan made amends with back to back fifties that saw Sri Lanka win both matches and with it the series 2-1. More than the result, what was pleasing is that with Pathum Nissanka, Karunaratne has forged a successful opening partnership putting together stands of 82 and 84 to lay the foundation for Sri Lanka to make a big total. This was one of the major concerns in Sri Lanka’s batting with Kusal Perera constantly being unavailable through injury.
Samarawickrama, given the opportunity in the second ODI against Afghanistan (replacing Mathews) impressed everyone with a stroke-filled 44 off 46 balls helping Kusal Mendis in a stand of 88 that paved the way for Sri Lanka’s match winning total of 323-6 in the second ODI. He was retained for the third ODI as well but was not required to bat as Sri Lanka won by nine wickets.
The rest of the squad particularly the batting unit picks itself with Kusal Mendis, Charith Asalanka and Dhananjaya de Silva and skipper Dasun Shanaka who could consider himself primarily a batting all-rounder because of his unwillingness to bowl.
Chamika Karunaratne who failed to get a game against Afghanistan, and Wanindu Hasaranga are the other all-rounders in the side. Hasaranga leads the spin department that includes Maheesh Theekshana and leg-spinner Hemantha. Dushmantha Chameera heads the pace unit with Lahiru Kumara, Kasun Rajitha and Pathirana.
The team leaves for Zimbabwe in the early hours of today at 3.15 a.m.
Sri Lanka squad for World Cup Qualifier
Dasun Shanaka (Captain), Kusal Mendis (Vice-Captain/wk), Dimuth Karunaratne, Pathum Nissanka, Charith Asalanka, Dhananjaya de Silva, Sadeera Samarawickrama (wk), Wanindu Hasaranga, Chamika Karunaratne, Dushmantha Chameera, Kasun Rajitha, Lahiru Kumara, Maheesh Theekshana, Matheesha Pathirana, Dushan Hemantha.
Sri Lanka
warm-up matches
Sri Lanka World Cup Qualifier matches
