KJP returns to action after 16 months
Kusal Janith Perera is likely to bolster the top order depending on the pitch conditions
Kusal Janith Perera will make his first appearance in international cricket following 16 months of recovery from a shoulder injury as Sri Lanka look for a positive start to the three-match T20 series against the Kiwis starting today in Auckland, New Zealand.
Sri Lanka is yet to record a win in the current series. They lost the Test series 2-0 and conceded the ODI series 2-0 without a fight. The visitors are now desperate to restore some pride during the T20 series–a format they have been slightly competitive compared to the 50-over game over the last two years.
Perera went under the knife in last September to correct a troubled injury.
Though Perera has done too little to warrant an automatic selection to the playing XI following the injury lay-off, his reputation of being an explosive batter has forced his entry into the playing XI. Even though Perera did not feature in the ODI series.
He is being considered as a potential option for the ODI World Cup qualifiers in June and July in Zimbabwe.
With Pathum Nissanka and Kusal Mendis stitching some good partnerships at the top order, Perera is likely to bat at No.3 or even at No.5 if the team’s think-tank decides to play Dhananjaya de Silva at one down. Perera, 32, last represented Sri Lanka during the 2021 T20 World Cup that too with an injury and featured in the LPL in December same year before being completely ruled out.
He played both tournaments with painkiller injected nearly every day before finally deciding to take a break to sort out the trouble injury.
News reaching from New Zealand say that Sri Lanka are weighing their options of whether to play a combination of two spinners and two fast bowlers with Chamika Karunaratne, Dasun Shanaka and Dhananjaya de Silva as part time options or to play three genuine fast bowlers with one spinner in Hasaranga. Sri Lanka opted out of training yesterday and will make the final call on the bowling combination after inspecting the wicket before the match.
The two teams have played thrice at the venue with New Zealand winning all three games.
Probable XI: Pathum Nissanka, Kusal Mendis, Kusal Janith Perera, Charith Asalanka, Dhananjaya de Silva, Dasun Shanaka (Capt), Chamika Karunaratne, Wanindu Hasaranga, Maheesh Theekshana, Lahiru Kumara, Dilshan Madushanka/Pramod Madushan
