Chamindu and Bhanuka to be exposed against Windies

The national selectors are predictable to give much-needed exposure to Chamindu Wickramasinghe and Bhanuka Rajapaksa, as Sri Lanka look to sustain their recent resurgence in international cricket, when the three-match T20I series against the West Indies starts on 13 October in Dambulla.

In the meantime being blanked 3-0 by world champions India at home in August, the Lankans have turned a corner.

Following a 2-0 overthrow of India in the ensuing three-match ODI series – their first such triumph at home in a bilateral series in 27 years – a Test win after a decade in England and a 2-0 sweep against New Zealand – their first achievement at home in 15 years – have been the highlight of that run lately.

What the red ball squad has gone through, Charith Asalanka’s team will need to bring into the T20I side starting with the forthcoming series against the men from the Caribbean.

The selectors, in their bid to refresh the T20I squad, have decided to omit out-of-form former Captain Dasun Shanaka with budding all-rounder Wickramasinghe set to be groomed instead with the future in mind.

Shanaka has failed to deliver in short-format cricket in his last three games and hence the underperforming all-rounder is likely to lose his place, with the selectors set to blood youth over failing seniors. 

It is also said that hard-hitting southpaw Rajapaksa is to take over Shanaka’s place in the squad, with the home side striving to bounce back from their series loss to India and register their maiden T20I bilateral series win over the Windies in three attempts.

Sri Lanka will have a excess of white ball cricket during the next 90-day period, with the T20I series being immediately followed by a three-match ODI series against the Windies at Pallekele, after which they will host the Black Caps for a similar T20I and ODI series.

The final squad of 18 is to be ratified by Minister of Youth Affairs and Sports and Prime Minister Dr. Harini Amarasuriya shortly.

The hosts are presently placed eighth in the ICC Men’s T20I Team Rankings with World Cup holders India being its top-ranked side.

In the ICC Men’s ODI Team Rankings, Sri Lanka inhabits seventh position, with these rankings also being led by India with reigning world champions Australia in second place.