Sri Lanka squad for Afghanistan T20I series announced, Dushmantha Chameera ruled out

Sri Lanka Cricket Team have announced the strong 17-member squad for the upcoming T20I series against Afghanistan. The two teams will be locking horns with each other in the three-match T20I series, to be played from 17th February to 21st February.

Wanindu Hasaranga will be captaining the team in the series against Afghanistan with Charith Asalanka being the vice-captain of the team. Dushmantha Chameera will be missing the series due to the injury that he sustained in the ODI series against Afghanistan recently.

Dushmantha Chameera will be replaced by Binura Fernando in the team. The left-arm pacer has played 12 T20Is for the team and has picked 12 wickets for his side at an average of 27 and best figured of 2/12 in the format for his national team.

Sri Lanka Cricket Team released the official statement related to Dushmantha Chameera missing the series. They stated that even though fast bowlers have been named in the team but will not be taking part in any of the games for the series.

“Dushmantha Chameera: He was selected but will not play as he is recovering from the injury sustained during the ODI series. Binura Fernando came in place of Chameera.” They stated.

The rest of the squad is pretty similar to what Sri Lanka fielded in the series against Zimbabwe. Pathum Nissanka, Kusal Mendis, Kusal Perera, and Sadeera Samarawickrama are the front-line batters in the team that will be taking on the team in the three-match T20I series against Afghanistan.

Former skipper Dasun Shanaka, Dhananjaya de Silva, Angelo Mathews, and Kamindu Mendis are the three all-rounders in the team. Sri Lanka has a pretty strong spin-bowling department with skipper Hasaranga leading the charge along with Maheesh Theekshana and Akila Dhananjaya

Dilshan Madushanka, Matheesha Pathirana, Nuwan Thushara, and Binura Fernando are the four pacers in the team. The upcoming series will be a great opportunity for the Sri Lanka team to get in the groove for the T20 World Cup 2024, set to take place in June 2024 in the USA and the Caribbean.

Sri Lanka are having a great time in the ongoing Afghanistan series. They won the one-off Test by 10 wickets and then continued their sublime touch in the ODI series. The island nation won two games in the 50-over series and now would be hoping to complete the whitewash. The third game will be played on 14th February.

Sri Lanka under the leadership of Wanindu Hasaranga have been terrific. They thumped Zimbabwe in the recently concluded T20I series. They would now be hoping to achieve the same feat in the upcoming series against Afghanistan and enter T20 World Cup 2024 on a high note.

Sri Lanka squad for the T20I series against Afghanistan

Here’s the Sri Lanka squad for the T20I series against Afghanistan

Wandinu Hasaranga (C), Charith Asalanka, Pathum Nissanka, Kusal Mendis, Kusal Perera, Dhananjaya de Silva, Angelo Mathews, Dasun Shanaka, Sadeera Samarawickrama, Kamindu Mendis, Maheesh Theekshana, Akila Dhananjaya, Matheesha Pathirana, Dilshan Madushanka, Nuwan Thushara, Dushmantha Chameera*, Binura Fernando

The Sri Lankan T20I squad for the Afghanistan series is here! #SLvAFG

🚨 Dushmantha Chameera: He was selected but will not play as he is recovering from the injury sustained during the ODI series. Binura Fernando came in place of Chameera. pic.twitter.com/kO74yq8NhR

— Sri Lanka Cricket 🇱🇰 (@OfficialSLC) February 12, 2024