Bandara to replace Nissanka; DDS likely to open with Kusal
Nissanka being examined by the physio
Sri Lanka will begin their first Super 12 game of the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2022 against Ireland today in Hobart, but without one of their two in-form batters. Opener Pathum Nissanka injured his groin on Thursday while batting against Netherlands and, while not ruled out of the tournament, will miss Sunday’s game.
Nissanka could have played as it is a minor injury. But it was decided to rest him so he will be fit for the rest of the tournament.
“We wouldn’t want to risk him at this point,” confirmed a team official from Hobart.
Nissanka is among the in-form batters for Sri Lanka, hitting 74 in the game against UAE, to lead the team to a crucial win and keep their Super 12 hopes alive. Then a Kusal Mendis special (79) against Netherlands sealed their place in the main draw. The duo has formed effective partnerships at the top of the order in the recent months. This is one reason for Sri Lanka’s success in the short form of the game. Nissanka’s absence will be deeply felt as Sri Lanka look to keep the winning momentum going.
The Asian champions are locked in a group of death with Afghanistan, Australia, England, New Zealand and Ireland being their Super 12 opponents. The top two teams will join the knockout stage. With Nissanka out, Ashen Bandara will make his World Cup debut today. Bandara replaced injured Danishka (formerly Danushka) Gunathilaka in the squad, having travelled to Australia with the team as one of two standbys.
Though Gunathilaka’s hamstring injury is not as serious as Dushmantha Chameera’s calf injury and Dilshan Madushanka’s quadriceps muscle injury (both were forced out of the World Cup), the selectors have decided to replace him. Bandara, a middle-order batter and a useful leg-spinner, is arguably the best fielder in the team.
Nissanka’s absence has forced the team’s think-tank to shuffle its batting order, with Dhananjaya de Silva expected to open batting with Kusal Mendis. De Silva batted at the No.3 slot in the qualifying round. This means Charith Asalanka will be promoted to the all-important No.3 slot, a position he performed well in at the 2021 T20 World Cup. He made 231 runs in six games, becoming Sri Lanka’s highest run-scorer of the tournament.
Bandara is known as a brilliant fielder
There’s little need to adjust the bowling unit. After Chameera and Madushanka were ruled out (and Pramod Madushan also missed the last game due to a minor hamstring injury), Lahiru Kumara and Binura Fernando led the seam attack in their final qualifying game against Netherlands. The same duo will make the playing IX in the team’s curtain-raiser of the Super 12.
“Like Nissanka, he is also fit to go but we will not risk him at this point,” the team official said.
“He will be fully fit to go from the next game.”
Sri Lanka’s bowling revolves around the two-spinners Wanindu Hasaranga and Maheesh Theekshana. They have been brilliant so far and are expected to play a bigger role in Sri Lanka’s quest for success, especially when its two main seamers are out with injuries. Sri Lanka also got bowling options in skipper Dasun Shanaka, Chamika Karunaratne, Dhananjaya de Silva and Bandara.
Sri Lanka lost their opening qualifying game against Namibia but came back strongly to beat UAE and Netherlands to enter the Super 12s rounds. Ireland had a brilliant outing in their last qualifying game against West Indies, beating them handsomely by nine wickets to send the two-time former winner packing home.
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