Sri Lanka names injury-hit T20I squad for India 

• No place for Bhanuka Rajapaksa; breakthrough for Ashian Daniel 

By Sa’adi Thawfeeq 

Sri Lanka has named a squad of 18 players for the three-match T20 International series in India with several

players being side-lined by injury and hard-hitting middle-order batter Bhanuka Rajapaksa continuing to be ignored by the selectors over fitness issues. 

Missing from the squad that completed a five-match T20I series in Australia are batsman Avishka Fernando, fast bowler Nuwan Thushara and spin bowling all-rounder Ramesh Mendis. Fernando could be out for several months after sustaining a knee injury, Thushara suffered a side strain while bowling in the third T20I at Canberra and Mendis has a fractured thumb which he suffered while batting in the nets. Hard hitting opener Kusal Perera also continues to be unavailable for Sri Lankan selection due to a shoulder injury. Perera last played for Sri Lanka in the T20 World Cup in November. 

In the light of these injuries batsmen Danushka Gunathilaka and Dinesh Chandimal who were both dropped from the side during the Australian T20I series retain their places along with Kamil Mishara and Janith Liyanage who both debuted in the fifth and final T20I at Melbourne on Sunday which Sri Lanka won by five wickets to avoid a 5-0 series whitewash. 

Newcomer to the squad is 21-year-old off-spinner from St Joseph’s College, Ashian Daniel who played an integral part in Kandy reaching the National Super League Limited Over final against Jaffna. Daniel missed the first-round matches after being tested COVID-19 positive, but on his return, he took five wickets in one match and four in another to catch the selectors’ eye.    

Rajapaksa’s exclusion on the grounds of fitness continues to be a controversial issue. Even though his weight and fitness have long been concerns, a player of his calibre was solely missed in Australia where Sri Lanka’s top and middle order batting was a major weakness that led to their 4-1 series defeat. 

Rajapaksa also diminished his position by retiring from international cricket last month and then making a U-turn and changing his decision after a meeting with the Sports Minister. He was overlooked for the Australian tour and now finds himself pushed into further isolation being cold-shouldered for India. Rajapaksa was the only Sri Lankan batsman brought at the IPL auction 2022 by Punjab Kings for Rs. 13 million. 

The good news for Sri Lanka is spin all-rounder Wanindu Hasaranga and fast bowler Binura Fernando, both tested positive for COVID-19 in the middle of the Australian series have served their seven-day isolation and will be available for India. 

The series against India starts on Thursday (24 February) at Lucknow. It will be followed by the second and third T20Is at Dharamsala on 26 and 27 February.

SRI LANKA T20I SQUAD TO INDIA

Dasun Shanaka (Captain), Pathum Nissanka, Kusal Mendis, Charith Asalanka (Vice-Captain), Dinesh Chandimal, Danushka Gunathilaka, Kamil Mishara, Janith Liyanage, Wanindu Hasaranga, Chamika Karunaratne, Dushmantha Chameera, Lahiru Kumara, Binura Fernando, Shiran Fernando, Maheesh Theekshana, Jeffrey Vandersay, Praveen Jayawickrama, Ashian Daniel.