Upbeat Sri Lanka looking to emulate Test success in T20s
Captains Charith Asalanka of Sri Lanka and Rovman Powell of the West Indies with the trophy on offer for the T20 series winners
Sri Lanka will aim to emulate their recent Test success in the shortest format of the game—T20—when they take on the West Indies in a three-match T20 series starting today at the Rangiri Dambulla International Cricket Stadium. The match will begin at 7 p.m.
“We can bring the ODI and T20 teams to the level where the Test team currently stands. We’re making progress, albeit slowly,” said Head Coach Sanath Jayasuriya at a press conference this week at the SLC Headquarters. Jayasuriya, who served as Interim Head Coach since May, has now been appointed Head Coach through the 2026 T20 World Cup.
The West Indies, twice World T20 Champions, are currently ranked third in the ICC World rankings, while Sri Lanka sits far behind at eighth. However, Sri Lankan skipper Charith Asalanka sees this series as a new beginning.
“As a team, we hope to start afresh in this series. We’ve struggled in T20 cricket recently, and we know we need to show more energy on the field to get a strong start,” Asalanka stated at a pre-match press conference held in Dambulla yesterday.
After winning the Test series 2-0 against New Zealand, the Sri Lankans are now focusing on white-ball cricket. A clear sign of this shift is the return of Bhanuka Rajapaksa to the playing XI. Rajapaksa last played for Sri Lanka 21 months ago, against India in January 2023. Now, he is back in the lineup, ready to demonstrate his ability to clear the boundary.
The explosive southpaw can change the course of a game in an instant; all he needs is the confidence and freedom to take big shots. Head coach Jayasuriya is prepared to instill that confidence.
“Bhanuka (Rajapaksa) was chosen because Dasun Shanaka is out of the side, and we felt we needed someone who could clear the boundary in the death overs,” confirmed skipper Asalanka. “What we expect from Bhanuka is his experience.”
“He has played a lot of T20 cricket and brings valuable expertise. Batting in the middle order can be challenging as the ball starts to turn when it gets older, so we need his experience to handle those situations. Additionally, he is a power hitter, which is essential in the death overs,” Asalanka explained regarding the decision to include the left-hander.
Even though Sri Lanka lost the T20 series against India, the players showed character and talent. The key is finding the right chemistry.
“There are a few areas to fine-tune, and I believe they know where they went wrong. We conduct specific training sessions,” Jayasuriya noted.
Practice sessions have evolved since Jayasuriya became Interim Coach; he aims to make them more enjoyable and engaging while encouraging players to convert singles into twos and twos into threes.
“I want them to focus completely during matches. After the match, I want them to switch off; I don’t want them to feel pressured once it’s over,” the head coach added.
The entire support staff and High Performance Centre (HPC) team are closely monitoring the players and their work ethic.
“The two white-ball series against the West Indies are very important to us, as they are played on our home soil. I’m looking forward to a 101% output from the players,” Jayasuriya said even before the West Indians arrived in Sri Lanka.
In contrast to their Test and ODI strategies, Sri Lanka has opted for a three-pronged pace attack against the West Indies. Chamindu Wickramasinghe, Matheesha Pathirana, and Asitha Fernando are the three pacers selected for today’s series opener.
“All four quicks have been performing well, making our selection challenging. We assessed who is in the best form,” said Asalanka.
Much will depend on how Matheesha Pathirana executes his four-over quota; a few wides could jeopardize his place in the team.
Jeffrey Vandersay has been included in the squad following his success during the ODI series against India. He has also performed well in T20s, but once Wanindu Hasaranga joined the side, Vandersay had to sit out.
If Sri Lanka intends to play three spinners, both Hasaranga and Vandersay could feature in the same match. Maheesh Theekshana is considered an off-spinner, while Charith Asalanka can bowl without difficulty.
The West Indies are missing four star players: Andre Russell, Nicholas Pooran, Shimron Hetmyer, and Akeal Hosein, who opted out of the Sri Lankan tour for personal reasons. Hosein is the world’s No. 2 ranked T20 bowler, and Pooran is ranked eighth among T20 batsmen. West Indies skipper Rovman Powell stated that his side is not lacking stars, even if they are younger.
“There are always stars in West Indies cricket. Alzari Joseph and Shamar Joseph have been performing well for us, and we also have Roston Chase, who, while not young, is relatively new to T20I cricket. There are many players we can look forward to watching,” Powell said yesterday.
The West Indies, however, did not name their playing XI.
“It is not West Indian style to announce the team. We look forward to the training session, take a further look at the wicket, and then decide on the team,” added the skipper.
| Sri Lanka Playing XI Pathum Nissanka, Kusal Mendis, Kusal Janith Perera, Kamindu Mendis, Charith Asalanka (Captain), Bhanuka Rajapaksa, Wanindu Hasaranga, Chamindu Wickramasinghe, Maheesh Theekshana, Matheesha Pathirana, Asitha Fernando
West Indies Squad Rovman Powell (Captain), Roston Chase, Fabian Allen, Alick Athanaze, Andre Fletcher, Terrance Hinds, Shai Hope, Alzarri Joseph, Shamar Joseph, Brandon King, Evin Lewis, Gudakesh Motie, Sherfane Rutherford, Romario Shepherd, Shamar Springer | |