Sri Lanka include additional wicketkeeper for T20 WC
With Kusal Janith Perera having sustained a hamstring injury during the recent South African tour, selectors have decided to include an additional wicketkeeper in the side in place of Lahiru Madushanka, who has been ruled out with a broken collarbone.
Accordingly, Minod Bhanuka and Pathum Nissanka–two wicket-keeper batsmen–have been drafted into the touring party but only one of them will make it to the 15-man squad to fill the vacancy created by injured Madushanka.
Perera, however, will travel with the team but will not play the two-match series against Oman. He is expected to participate in the two warm-up games ahead of the qualifiers starting on October 18, provided he recovers fully from the injury he is currently nursing. The Southpaw was in fine form during the South African series with the bat but his injury prevented him from doing the glove work. The selectors have the opportunity to make any changes to the final squad until October 10.
In addition to Bhanuka and Nissanka, batsman Ashen Bandara and spinners Lakshan Sandakan and Ramesh Mendis are in the 23-man squad. Only 30 members are allowed per team, including players and support staff, and any additional inclusion has to be at the expense of respective Cricket Boards.
The World Cup-bound players will join a bubble on Tuesday to start training before leaving for the two-match series in Oman. The two games against Oman will be played on October 7 and 9. The two official warm-up games will be played on October 12 and 14 in the UAE.
Sri Lanka competing in Group ‘A’ will meet Namibia on October 18, followed by Ireland on October 20. Both these matches will be played in Abu Dhabi and they will head to Sharjah for the final qualifying match against Netherlands on October 22.
If qualified, Sri Lanka will be in Super 12 – Group ‘A’ alongside West Indies, South Africa, England, Australia and B2 from the first round.
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