Sri Lanka vs Bangladesh | Hosts call up Akila Dhananjay, Niroshan Dickwella for ODI series
After being ignored for the ICC World Cup, Akila Dhananjay and Niroshan Dickwella have returned to the squad for the upcoming series against Bangladesh. However, former skipper Dinesh Chandimal has been ignored once again while Nuwan Pradeep has made a full recovery and is back in the squad.
Surprisingly for a home ODI series, the Sri Lankan selectors have named a squad of 22 players while a number of regular members have returned to the roaster after being ignored for the World Cup. While the likes of Niroshan Dickwella, Danushka Gunathilaka, Akila Dananjaya, and Lakshan Sandakan have made their return to the squad after impressive performances against India A, Milinda Siriwardana, Jeevan Mendis, Suranga Lakmal, and Jeffrey Vandersay have suffered the sack.
While Vandersay was given very less game-time during the World Cup, Siriwardena and Mendis were nowhere close to living up to their "three-dimensional" tags. Despite all his brilliance with a red-ball in hand, Lakmal hasn’t done anything significant in the limited-overs and is rightfully out of the team.
Considering the slow and low surfaces of Colombo, Sri Lanka called up Dananjaya and Sandakan, who did well in their recent tour against India with the Sri Lanka A team. Given there is a big roaster at place, the likes of Wanindu Hasaranga, Amila Aponso, and Shehan Jayasuriya will be eyeing up the spin-bowling all-rounder position in the side alongside Dhananjaya de Silva.
On the batting front, the returnees will add strength to the squad as Dickwella scored two centuries and a fifty against India A recently, while Shanaka had shown glimpses of form on the same tour.Â
Meanwhile, Lasith Malinga, who is playing his last ODI series, will spearhead the fast-bowling unit which also has the likes of Kasun Rajitha, Nuwan Pradeep and Lahiru Kumara. Lahiru Madushanka might get a look in as an allrounder option following the underwhelming World Cups endured by Isuru Udana and Thisara Perera.
Full Squad: Dimuth Karunaratne, Kusal Perera, Avishka Fernando, Kusal Mendis, Angelo Mathews, Lahiru Thirimanne, Shehan Jayasuriya, Dhananjaya de Silva, Niroshan Dickwella, Danushka Gunathilaka, Dasun Shanaka, Wanidu Hasaranga, Akila Dananjaya, Amila Aponso, Lakshan Sandakan, Lasith Malinga, Nuwan Pradeep, Kasun Rajitha, Lahiru Kumara, Thissara Perera, Isuru Udana, Lahiru Madushanka