Sri Lanka Cricket has named its team's squad for the upcoming three-match series against Afghanistan. The Lankan Lions have made three changes to the squad that last played an ODI series against Zimbabwe. Among the most notable changes, Sri Lanka have dropped their World Cup 2023 captain Dasun Shanaka from the 16-member squad for the series.
The other two players to miss out from the squad are batter Nuwanidu Fernando and spin bowler Jeffrey Vandersay. Two players coming in are all-rounder Chamika Karunaratne and opener Shevon Daniel.
Shanaka was the captain for the ODI World Cup 2023. However as he suffered a thigh injury, the all-rounder was ruled out of the tournament, making way for Kusal Mendis to take over captaincy briefly. He was appointed the full-time skipper of the ODI side after the World Cup and ahead of the Zimbabwe ODIs.
Notably, Shanaka's poor run seems to have costed his place in the team. In the ODIs in 2023, the allrounder has managed to score just 352 runs in 26 matches including a century that came against India and a half-ton later in the year.
He was part of the team for the Zimbabwe series and got to play two of the three ODIs. However, his scores of 8 and 7 in the first two ODIs made him warm the benches for the third game.
The team boasts of a batting unit led by Kusal Mendis with Pathum Nissanka, Avishka Fernando, Sadeera Samarawickrama, Charith Asalanka, Janith Liyanage, Shevon Daniel and Sahan Arachchige fulfilling it. Wanindu Hasaranga and Maheesh Theekshana lead the spin bowling unit alongside Akila Dananjaya, Dunith Wellalage and Sahan Arachchige. The speed bowling unit features Dushmantha Chameera, Dilshan Madushanka, Pramod Madushan and Karunaratne.
The first ODI of the three-match series is set to be played tomorrow. The second one will take place on February 11, followed by the final game on February 14. All the matches are scheduled to take place in Pallekele.
Sri Lanka squad for ODI series against Afghanistan:
Kusal Mendis (capt), Charith Asalanka, Pathum Nissanka, Avishka Fernando, Sadeera Samarawickrama, Sahan Arachchige, Shevon Daniel, Janith Liyanage, Chamika Karunaratne, Maheesh Theekshana, Dilshan Madushanka, Dushmantha Chameera, Dunith Wellalage, Pramod Madushan, Akila Dananjaya, Wanindu Hasarang
