Left-handed batter Bhanuka Rajapaksa and spin-bowling all-rounder Bhanuka Rajapaksa have made their comebacks as Sri Lanka named an 18-member squad for their T20I series against Australia. Rajapaksa and Hasaranga performed exceptionally for their respective teams in the 2022 edition of the Indian Premier League (IPL).
The southpaw replaced Dinesh Chandimal in the white-ball squad. Dhananjaya de Silva and Lahiru Kumara also failed to find a place in the squad. Leg-spinner Jeffrey Vandersay and wicketkeeper Niroshan Dickwella have been picked as reserves.
Sri Lanka U19 pacer, Matheesha Pathirana, has also been selected after he performed well for the Chennai Super Kings (CSK) in the IPL 2022. The right-arm pacer conjured praise from MS Dhoni, the CSK skipper. Pathirana was picked to play for the Super Kings as a replacement for New Zealand’s Adam Milne.
The three T20Is will take place on June 7, June 8 and June 11 respectively. The R Premadasa Stadium in Colombo and the Pallekele International Cricket Stadium will host the three games.
Sri Lanka squad for Australia T20Is
Dasun Shanaka (C), Pathum Nissanka, Danushka Gunathilaka, Kusal Mendis, Charith Asalanka, Bhanuka Rajapaksa, Nuwanidu Fernando, Lahiru Madushanka, Wanindu Hasaranga, Chamika Karunaratne, Dushmantha Chameera, Kasun Rajitha, Nuwan Thushara, Matheesha Pathirana, Ramesh Mendis, Maheesh Theekshana, Praveen Jayawickrama, Lakshan Sandakan
