SL vs WI | Thisara Perera and Niroshan Dickwella return for Windies ODIs

Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) have named a 15-man squad for their upcoming three-match ODI series against West Indies at home starting from February 22, with the side set to be led by incumbent skipper Dimuth Karunaratne. Karunaratne, who led the side in the 2019 World Cup, did not travel to Pakistan for the ODI series that the visitors lost 2-0, where the team was led by Lahiru Thirimanne. 

The series will see veteran all-rounder Thisara Perera returning after a year-long absence, while Danushka Gunathilaka misses out with a back injury. Gunathilaka will be replaced by all-rounder Shehan Jayasuriya, while Nirosan Dickwella has also been called up for the series. The wicket-keeper batsman, however, is expected to miss the first ODI owing to him still recovering from flu. 

"Danushka has a back injury and has been ruled out of the West Indies series. He is under treatment and may require surgery," team manager and chief selector Ashantha de Mel was quoted as saying by Cricbuzz. "Niroshan's case is not all that serious and we have retained him in the ODI squad and hope to play him in the second match onwards."

Adding to a long list of injury woes, Oshada Fernando, too, is out of the side after he suffered a hand injury. All-rounder Isuru Udana has been called up to replace Fernando after the 32-year-old made a full recovery from a back injury he sustained in India.

The first of the three ODIs will be played at the Sinhalese Sports Club in Colombo on Saturday, February 22. 

Squad: Dimith Karunaratne (C), Avishka Fernando, Kusal Perera, Shehan Jayasuriya, Niroshan Dickwella, Kusal Mendis, Angelo Mathews, Dhananjaya de Silva, Thisara Perera, Dasun Shanaka, Wanindu Hasaranga, Lakshan Sandakan, Isuru Udana, Nuwan Pradeep, Lahiru Kumara.