The major omissions from the Sri Lankan side for the Asia Cup include Wanindu Hasaranga, Dushmantha Chameera, Lahiru Kumara, and Dilshan Madhushanka, with the main bowlers missing out due to various injuries. Kusal Perera was nominated to Sri Lanka Cricket’s 15-man roster for the next multi-team competition. The Covid-19-infected wicketkeeper-batter is making a full recovery and will eventually rejoin the team.
The frontline fast bowlers Chameera and Kumara, who were sidelined due to a pectoral rupture and a side strain respectively, are replaced in the squad by the pacers Pramod Madushan and Binura Fernando. Hasaranga sustained a thigh injury, while Madhushanka joined the injured list after sustaining an oblique rupture. Hasaranaga is replaced by Dushan Hemantha, a legspinner all-rounder who has appeared in two ODIs for Sri Lanka.
The other pacers in the team are Kasun Rajitha and Matheesha Pathirana, while Maheesh Theekshana and Dunith Wellalage are the other spinners Sri Lanka has available outside Hemantha. Prior to their encounter against Afghanistan on September 5 in Lahore, Sri Lanka had a three-day break after their Asia Cup opener on Thursday (August 31) against Bangladesh in Pallekele.
The following players are in the Sri Lankan team: Dasun Shanaka (captain), Pathum Nissanka, Dimuth Karunaratne, Kusal Perera, Kusal Mendis, Charith Asalanka, Dhananjaya de Silva, Sadeera Samarawickrama, Maheesh Theekshana, Dunith Wellalage, Matheesha Pathirana, Kasun Rajitha, Dushan Hemantha
