New Delhi: Sri Lanka named Charith Asalanka as captain for their upcoming T20I and ODI series against New Zealand on Wednesday while overlooking former skipper Dasun Shanaka again after keeping him out from the West Indies series too.
Sri Lanka host New Zealand for two T20Is and three ODIs, with the tour beginning on Saturday in Dambulla followed by the second a day later.
The first ODI will also be staged at Dambulla on November 13, with the next two 50-over games on November 17 and 19 moving to Pallekele.
Absent from the Sri Lankan team is pacer Dushmantha Chameera, who like Shanaka was absent from the West Indies series as well.
Shanaka has last donned the Sri Lankan colours in T20Is in their series against India in July. Before that ge was in the side for the ODIs against Zimbabwe in January 2024.
Kusal Perera returned to Sri Lanka’s ODI squad for the first time since the ODI World Cup in India last year. After completing a comeback to the national team during the West Indies series, Bhanuka Rajapaksa kept his spot in the side.
Sri Lanka are placed sixth in the ICC ODI rankings, just behind New Zealand while in T20Is the Lankans are eighth, three slots below the Black Caps.
Sri Lanka ODI squad: Charith Asalanka (capt), Avishka Fernando, Pathum Nissanka, Kusal Perera, Kusal Mendis, Kamindu Mendis, Janith Liyanage, Sadeera Samarawickrama, Nishan Madushka, Dunith Wellalage, Wanindu Hasaranga, Maheesh Theekshana, Jeffrey Vandersay, Chamindu Wickramasinghe, Asitha Fernando, Dilshan Madushanka, Mohamed Shiraz.
Sri Lanka T20 squad: Charith Asalanka (capt), Pathum Nissanka, Kusal Mendis, Kusal Perera, Kamindu Mendis, Dinesh Chandimal, Avishka Fernando, Bhanuka Rajapaksa, Wanindu Hasaranga, Maheesh Theekshana, Dunith Wellalage, Jeffrey Vandersay, Chamindu Wickramasinghe, Nuwan Thushara, Matheesha Pathirana, Binura Fernando and Asitha Fernando.
New Zealand ODI and T20I squad: Mitchell Santner (c), Michael Bracewell, Mark Chapman, Josh Clarkson, Jacob Duffy, Lockie Ferguson, Zak Foulkes, Dean Foxcroft, Mitch Hay (wk), Henry Nicholls, Glenn Phillips, Tim Robinson, Nathan Smith, Ish Sodhi, Will Young.
Sri Lanka host New Zealand for two T20Is and three ODIs, with the tour beginning on Saturday in Dambulla followed by the second a day later. Cricket Sports News: Latest Cricket News, Cricket Live Score, Sports Breaking News from Sports Today
