Wellalage, surprise package in Sri Lanka’s T20 World Cup squad

Dunith Wellalage 

By Sa’adi Thawfeeq

Dunith Wellalage was the surprise package in Sri Lanka’s 15-member squad named for the ICC T20 World Cup in the USA and West Indies next month.

The 21-year-old left-arm all-rounder who has yet to make his international debut in the shortest format didn’t figure in any of Sri Lanka’s last three T20I series against Zimbabwe, Afghanistan and Bangladesh but finds himself selected in the World Cup 15.

This will be the vastly talented all-rounder’s second ICC World Cup in seven months having been part of the Sri Lanka team that played in the 50-over Cricket World Cup in India last October-November. 

Apart from Wellalage’s selection the rest of the squad comprises players who took part in the three T20I series, all of which were won by Sri Lanka after the new selection committee headed by former Sri Lanka white ball captain Upul Tharanga took over.

“As we are playing in the West Indies, on those wickets we thought we might require a spin all-rounder that’s why we decided to pick Wellalage,” said Tharanga. “In the CPL (Caribbean Premier League) we have seen a left-arm spinner bowling in the power play in most of the matches. We thought in the conditions we may come across we will need a spin all-rounder to support Wanindu.”

“Also, in the BPL (Bangladesh Premier League) Wellalage bowled well in the power play, so rather than play a leg-spinner which is difficult in the power play we looked at the option of going with a left-arm spinner.”

All-rounder Wanindu Hasaranga will lead the side with middle-order batsman Charith Asalanka as his deputy. Hasaranga missed the IPL with a long-standing heel injury so that he would be fit for the World Cup. He made his return to competitive cricket in the ongoing SLC T20 World Cup practice matches where he has batted in the first two matches for SLC Yellow whom he is leading, but not bowled. 

The squad comprises of seven specialist batsmen – Pathum Nissanka, Kusal Mendis, Sadeera Samarawickrama, Angelo Mathews, Dhananjaya de Silva and Kamindu Mendis, three all-rounders in Hasaranga, Dasun Shanaka and Wellalage, four specialist fast bowlers Dushmantha Chameera, Dilshan Madushanka, Nuwan Thushara and Matheesha Pathirana and one specialist spinner Maheesh Theekshana.

In fact, apart from Theekshana the spin department is strengthened by Hasaranga and Wellalage, and De Silva, Kamindu Mendis and Asalanka, who can also turn their arm over. Mathews and Shanaka can do a similar job in the fast-bowling department with their medium-paced deliveries.

Uncapped 22-year-old leg-spinner from Jaffna, Vijayakanth Viyaskanth who made his IPL debut for Sunrisers Hyderabad against Lucknow SuperGiants on Wednesday is one of the four travelling reserves named. The others are batsmen Bhanuka Rajapaksa and Janith Liyanage and fast bowler Asitha Fernando.

Tharanga said that Fernando had an issue with his visa and most probably if it is not resolved by the time the team leaves for the USA on 14 May, he will join them later. The Lankan players participating in the ongoing IPL will also join the team later.

Sri Lanka play their first Group D match of the T20 World Cup against South Africa at New York on 3 June followed by matches against Bangladesh at Dallas (8 June), Nepal at Lauderhill (12 June) and Netherlands at Gros Islet (17 June), after which the Super Eights commence from 19 June.

SRI LANKA T20 WORLD CUP 2024 SQUAD

Captain Wanindu Hasaranga, Vice-Captain Charith Asalanka, Kusal Mendis, Pathum Nissanka, Kamindu Mendis, Sadeera Samarawickrama, Angelo Mathews, Dasun Shanaka, Dhananjaya de Silva, Maheesh Theekshana, Dunith Wellalage, Dushmantha Chameera, Nuwan Thushara, Matheesha Pathirana, Dilshan Madushanka.

Travelling reserves: Asitha Fernando, Vijayakanth Viyaskanth, Bhanuka Rajapaksa, Janith Liyanage