As batting coach Avishka Gunawardana hinted that Kusal Mendis might not be considered for solitary t20 match against India, hard-hitting allrounder Dasun Shanaka is set to play the last match of the two month long tour, Cricket Age has reliably learnt .
Shanaka has been in form of his life in last six months. he smashed some sparkling knocks during the super provincial tournament and carried the form in Singapore t20 blitz, where he scored his runs with a strike rate of more than 200.
As Sri Lanka continuely depleted through the home series against India due to multiple inhuries, it was surprising to see, selectors never recalled Shanaka.
Lahiru Thirimane managed a recall after two years in wilderness, Dinesh Chandimal, a batsman with a 72 ODI strike rate, also been added alongwith Thisara Perera, who yet again being recalled, for no reason!
But, Shanaka couldn’t find a place in the team, a batsman with a strike rate of 114 and 152 in ODI and t20 formats respectively!
One of the cleanest hitter of Cricket ball in Sri Lanka, Shanaka made immediate impact in all three formats in 2016, with both bat and ball. A destructive batsman, who has hit 58 sixes in his t20 career, and can rattle any batting line up, could have been a reply from Sri Lanka to India’s Hardik Pandya.
But, Sanath Jayasuriya kept him in wilderness, as per norm of his strange selction policies.
Though, already resigned from his post, Jayasuriya at least made amend of one of his blunders, by giving deserving chance to Shanaka, at least for the t20 on 6th September, his last day as a selector of Sri Lanka!
