Akila Dananjaya factor sparks puzzle within the mandarins
Off-spinner Akila Dananjaya has been left out from the 15-man squad but will be part of the four-man travelling reserves for the T20 World Cup, the Sunday Times can confirm.
Due to Covid-19 restrictions, teams are allowed to name four stand-by players to travel with the main squad to act as injury replacements.
Dananjaya was initially named in the 15-man list on the wishes of the coach and the captain but, with the bowler leaking plenty of runs in the first T20 against South Africa on Friday, the selectors have brought in uncapped right-arm legspinner Pulina Tharanga in his place.
Dananjaya bowled three overs on Friday giving away 28 runs, hardly threatening the batsmen. His performance in the ODI series that preceded was modest too. Out of the 17 overs he bowled in two games, he leaked as many as 111 runs at 55.50, taking just two wickets.
The 28-year-old Pulina Tharanga is yet to represent Sri Lanka in any format and does not come with an impressive domestic record but his performances in the recent domestic T20 league had encouraged selectors to bring him into the side.
The tussle between the selectors and coach and captain over the inclusion of off-spinner Akila Dananjaya in the squad of 15 is understood to be the reason for Sri Lanka Cricket delaying announcing the squad, even though the names of the 19-man team was sent to the ICC before deadline ended on Friday.
Also back in the 15-man squad is veteran seamer Nuwan Pradeep. Pradeep, 34, has been included as cover to Dushmantha Chameera, who will be Sri Lanka’s pace spearhead during the( World Cup. He was initially among the four reserves but has been included in place of left-arm seamer Binura Fernando who is among the four reserves now. Chamika Karunaratne and skipper Dasun Shanaka will be the two fast bowling all-rounders in the side.
Mystery spinner Maheesh Theekshana is in, too. The 21-year-old spinner had a dream debut in ODI cricket claiming 4 for 37 including a wicket off his first ball and the last ball of his ten over spell. However, he did not enjoy the same success in his T20 debut on Friday as South Africa countered him with ease, scoring as many as 35 runs off four overs for the one wicket he took.
Left-arm spinner Praveen Jayawickrema who is yet to make his T20 international debut also finds a place along with Wanindu Hasaranga–the World’s No. 2 ranked T20 bowler. Kamindu Mendis, who has had an excellent run with the bat at the SLC Invitational T20 tournament, is also in the 15-man squad.
Back in the team is Dinesh Chandimal–a former captain who made a career-best unbeaten 66 off 54 balls on Friday.
Chandimal was among the several seniors sidelined from white-ball cricket in March but was brought into the South African series on the back of some impressive performances during the domestic T20 tourney last month. Chandmial will fight for a opening slot with Kusal Janith Perera who has the best strike rate among current Sri Lanka’s top order batters and Avishka Fernando. Kusal Perera strikes the ball over 132 while Avishka Fernando has a strike rate of 94.56.
Bhanuka Rajapaksa, who is going through a horror run with the bat, collecting three ducks in a row against South Africa in the current series, have nevertheless been included in the side. In eight T20 innings, the Southpaw has managed just 140 runs. His ODI returns have also been modest.
Sri Lanka will play the qualifiers, where they will face Namibia, Ireland, and the Netherlands. They will also play two T20 internationals against Oman before theWorld Cup, on October 7 and 9.
| Probable Sri Lanka squad: Dasun Shanaka (capt.), Dhananjaya de Silva(vc), Avishka Fernando, Charith Asalanka, Kamindu Mendis, Bhanuka Rajapaksa, Kusal Perera, Dinesh Chandimal, Wanindu Hasaranga, Chamika Karunaratne, Dushmantha Chameera, Maheesh Theekshana, Praveen Jayawickrama, Pulina Tharanga, Nuwan Pradeep Likely reserves: Lahiru Madushanka, Lahiru Kumara, Akila Dananjaya, Binura Fernando | |
