Sri Lanka Cricket Board (SLC), on June 1, 2022, announced the T20I squad for the three-match series against Australia starting June 7. The squad sees the return of Wanindu Hasaranga, who missed India T20Is due to COVID infection, and Bhanuka Rajapaksa, who was out due to fitness concerns.
However, both have made a triumphant entry into the Sri Lanka T20Is thanks to impressive outings in the IPL 2022, where Hasaranga missed out on the Purple Cap by just one wicket and finished with 26 scalps in a breakout IPL debut season with Royal Challengers Bangalore.
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Rajapaksa, on the other hand, accumulated 209 runs in nine games he got for PBKS at a strike rate just a shade below 160, often chipping in vital cameos at one drop. He replaces Dinesh Chandimal in the squad, who has been dropped following ordinary returns on successive white-ball tours of Australia and India.
Chandimal only made 61 runs in four T20Is in Australia before being dropped for the final game, and in India, he made 41 in three innings with a best of 22. Apart from him, Dhananjaya de Silva and Lahiru Kumara have also been dropped, while the pair of Niroshan Dickwella and leggie Jeffrey Vandersay have been picked as stand-by players for the series.
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Sri Lanka has selected 19-year-old pace sensation Matheesha Pathirana, who recently made his debut for CSK in IPL 2022 and picked a wicket on his first ball on debut. He received rich praise from captain MS Dhoni and has been earmarked as an important bowler for next season.
Sri Lanka T20I squad for Australia series:
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
(Cricbuzz inputs)
