Sri Lanka squad for T20 World Cup 2026 announced; Dasun Shanaka named captain, Charith Asalanka sacked
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On Friday, December 19, the Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) announced the preliminary squad of the Sri Lanka National Cricket Team for the ICC Men's T20 World Cup 2026.
Sri Lanka will have a new skipper in the ICC Men's T20 World Cup 2026 as Dasun Shanaka has been handed the captaincy, and Charith Asalanka has been sacked after his lean patch in T20I cricket.
Ahead of the 2026 T20 World Cup, Sri Lanka is destined to play a bilateral series against Pakistan and England as part of their preparation for the upcoming ICC event. The Lankans had failed to advance to the ICC T20 World Cup 2024 Super-8 stage.
Dasun Shanaka has been named Sri Lanka's captain for the T20 World Cup 2026
Sri Lanka recently toured Pakistan for the tri-series in the shortest format of the game. Dasun Shanaka was seen leading the Lankan side in Charith Asalanka's absence, who returned to the country midway through the ODI series due to the life-threatening circumstances in Pakistan.
Pramodya Wickramasinghe was newly elected as the Chief Selector of the Sri Lanka national cricket team, and he confirmed that Dasun Shanaka will once again be leading the Sri Lanka side for the ICC T20 World Cup 2026.
He will also be the captain for the two upcoming series against Pakistan and the series against England as well. Sri Lanka is also the co-host of the ICC T20 World Cup 2026 alongside India, and they will be playing their matches on their home turf.
Sri Lanka struggled in the Asia Cup under Captain Charith Asalanka
Charith Asalanka failed to be promising for the Sri Lankan side as the captain in the shortest format of the game. Under his captaincy, they failed to perform in the Asia Cup, as they lost all games against Pakistan and India.
After the collapse, under Asalanka's captaincy, they have even lost a game against Zimbabwe. Hence, Dasun Shanaka, the former Sri Lankan captain, was appointed as the replacement for Lasith Malinga back in 2021.
Shanaka has already led Sri Lanka in the ICC T20 World Cups before in the 2021 and 2022 editions of the tournament. Under him, Sri Lanka also won the Asia Cup, while after his exit, Wanindu Hasaranga led them in the previous edition of the World Cup in 2024.
However, Charith Asalanka, despite his snub from captaincy, is still a part of the preliminary squad and is most likely to make it to the final 15-member squad as well. The T20 World Cup starts on the 7th of February.
Sri Lanka Preliminary Squad For T20 World Cup 2026:
Dasun Shanaka, Pathum Nissanka, Kusal Mendis, Kamil Mishara, Kusal Perera, Dhananjaya De Silva, Niroshan Dickwella, Janith Liyanage, Charith Asalanka, Kamindu Mendis, Pavan Rathnayake, Sahan Arachchige, Wanindu Hasaranga, Dunith Wellalage, Milan Rathnayake, Nuwan Thushara, Eshan Malinga, Dushmantha Chameera, Pramod Madushan, Matheesha Pathirana, Dilshan Madushanka, Maheesh Theekshana, Dushan Hemantha, Vijayakanth Viyaskanth, and Traveen Mathew.
BREAKING NEWS 🚨
— DANUSHKA ARAVINDA (@DanuskaAravinda) December 19, 2025
Sri Lanka Preliminary Squad for ICC T20i World Cup 2026.#sportspavilionlk #danushkaaravinda #ICCT20WorldCup pic.twitter.com/o47vm5ldhW
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Sri Lanka National Cricket Team ICC T20 World Cup T20 World Cup Dasun Shanaka Charith Asalanka Wanindu HasarangaAbout the Author
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