Sri Lanka squad for West Indies T20Is announced, veteran batsman recalled after more than a year

Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC), on Wednesday (October 9), announced a 17-member Sri Lanka squad for the upcoming three-match T20I series against West Indies. The series is scheduled to be played from October 14.

Charith Asalanka will be leading the Islanders in the series. The highlight of the Sri Lanka squad is the return of left-handed batsman Bhanuka Rajapaksa. The 32-year-old, who had starred in Sri Lanka's victorious campaign at the 2022 T20 Asia Cup, has not played for Sri Lanka for more than a year now.

While his last appearance for Lankan Team in ODIs came in 2021, he has not played any T20I for his national team since January 2023. His last T20I for the team was against India in Pune. He recently appeared in the Caribbean Premier League. Although Rajapaksa struggled to do well with the bat in the competition, the selectors have handed him a lifeline to revive his T20I career.

Sri Lanka squad for West Indies T20Is:

While Rajapaksa has earned a recall, former captain Dasun Shanaka has been dropped from the Sri Lanka squad. Shanaka was dropped after registering ducks in his last three T20I innings.

He was a part of the Sri Lanka squad for their last T20I assignment which was the T20I series against India. He played in the first and second T20Is and failed to open his account in any of them.

Left-arm pacer Dilshan Madushanka has also not been included in the squad. The fast bowler has not played any competitive game since the T20I against India in July. After the first match of that three-match series, he was sidelined with a hamstring injury.

SL squad:

Charith Asalanka (C), Pathum Nissanka, Kusal Mendis, Kusal Janith Perera, Kamindu Mendis, Dinesh Chandimal, Avishka Fernando, Bhanuka Rajapaksa, Wanindu Hasaranga, Maheesh Theekshana, Dunith Wellalage, Jeffrey Vandersay, Chamindu Wickramasinghe, Nuwan Thushara, Matheesha Pathirana, Binura Fernando, Asitha Fernando

West Indies have also announced their squad for the series. Rovman Powell will be leading the Caribbean outfit in the three-match series.