Follow UsSri Lanka Cricket on June 15 (Sunday) announced their 18-strong senior men’s team squad for the first Test of the two-Test series against Bangladesh, which will also mark the beginning of their World Test Championship (WTC) 2025-27 campaign. The first Test starts at Galle on June 17 (Tuesday).
The announcement saw a recall to Akila Dananjaya, the leg spinner, who played the last of his six Tests way back in 2019. The 31-year-old, who also has the ability to bowl off-breaks, will be joined by someone who has the ability to bowl with arms, an ambidextrous spinner- Tharindu Rathnayke-in the squad as the third genuine spin bowling option apart from Prabath Jayasuriya.
Dananjaya returns on the back of a great showing in his last five First-Class games, picking up 37 wickets in them at an astounding average of 25.37 and five five-wicket hauls to his name.
Isitha Wijesundara is the only fresh pace-bowling recruit in the squad who will give company to Milan Rathnayke, Aistha Fernando and late entrant Kasun Rajitha, who replaced Lahiru Kumara, who picked up an injury during training.
Amongst batters, Lahiru Udara, 31, Pasindu Sooriyabandara, 25 and Pavan Rathnayake, 22, have been named in the squad.
Primarily, it would be the sextet of Pathum Nissanka, Dinesh Chandimal, Angelo Mathews, Dhananjaya de Silva, Kamindu Mendis and Kusal Mendis that would make the batting unit of the Sri Lankan team with either Udara or Oshada Fernando, also named in the squad, opening the innings alongside Nissanka.
Sonal Dinusha, 24, also named in the squad, is being seen as the successor to Mathews, as the left-handed batter and left-arm spinner averages 24 with the ball and 40 with the bat, having six five-wicket hauls and seven centuries to his name in his 48-matches long First-Class career.
Mathews, 38, has already announced his Test retirement, which will take place after the last Test of the series, which, if he plays, considering there are no injuries to the great all-rounder, will be his last and 120th for the island nation in a 16-year-old career.
Sri Lanka Squad For First Test Vs Bangladesh
Dhananjaya de Silva (capt), Pathum Nissanka, Oshada Fernando, Lahiru Udara, Dinesh Chandimal, Angelo Mathews, Kamindu Mendis, Kusal Mendis, Pasindu Sooriyabandara, Sonal Dinusha, Pavan Rathnayake, Prabath Jayasuriya, Tharindu Rathnayake, Akila Dananjaya, Milan Rathnayake, Asitha Fernando, Kasun Rajitha, Isitha Wijesundara