Sri Lanka opted to go away out most of their first-choice T20I gamers, and chosen Bandara and Dickwella for his or her expertise, regardless that that they had an underwhelming LPL 2026. Bandara performed solely three matches for Colombo Kaps for 28 runs whereas Dickwella scored solely 110 runs at a strike price of 142.85 for Dambulla Sixers.
Left-arm spinning-allrounder Sahan picked up 9 wickets in ten LPL outings this 12 months at an economic system price of 6.30, together with a Participant-of-the-Match spell of two for 8 within the Eliminator, for Colombo. He additionally contributed with a 15-ball 34 not out earlier within the match. Quick bowler Sanketh impressed along with his tempo within the LPL although he didn’t take any wickets in his 4 outings this 12 months. Within the Main Golf equipment T20 Match that adopted, he picked up 11 wickets at an economic system price of 8.87 whereas enjoying for Moors Sports activities Membership.
Jayawardena and de Livera, each top-order left-hand batters, led the batting charts within the Main Golf equipment T20 Match with the previous scoring 372 runs at a strike price of 167.56 whereas the latter made 307 at 156.63. Jayawardena, who captained Sri Lanka on the Beneath-19 World Cup in 2024, smashed a 32-ball 82 to assist Tamil Union Cricket and Athletic Membership beat Sinhalese Sports activities Membership within the remaining.
Legspinner Vijayakanth Viyaskanth discovered a spot after narrowly lacking out on the England T20Is, his chart-topping 17 wickets within the home match solely enhancing his credentials. Allrounder Chamika Karunaratne, who struck 253 runs at 157.14 and was a key a part of Galle Gallant’s cost to the LPL title, was additionally introduced again.
Ambidextrous spinner Tharindu Ratnayake and legspinner Dushan Hemantha accomplished the spin choices whereas slinger Nuwan Thushara and left-arm fast Binura Fernando added expertise to the tempo division.
Sri Lanka have earned a direct qualification to the quarter-final of the Asian Video games, and play their first sport on September 29 in Nisshin. Arachchige had captained Sri Lanka within the earlier version, too, the place they misplaced to Afghanistan of their solely outing and crashed out.
Sri Lanka’s Asian Video games squad
Sahan Arachchige (capt), Niroshan Dickwella (wk), Lasith Croospulle, Sineth Jayawardena, Nuwanidu Fernando, Sohan de Livera, Ashen Bandara, Chamika Karunaratne, Tharindu Ratnayake, Wanuja Sahan, Vijayakanth Viyaskanth, Dushan Hemantha, Nuwan Thushara, Binura Fernando, Garuka Sanketh