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Sri Lanka recall Rajapaksa for WI T20Is; Shanaka dropped
Follow UsJeffrey Vandersay also marks a comeback to T20I cricket after two and a half years
Sri Lanka have recalled their left-handed swashbuckling hitter Bhanuka Rajapaksa for their three-match T20I series against West Indies. The 32-year-old last played for a T20I match in January 2023.
In a notable omission, former skipper Dasun Shanaka has been dropped from the squad. Chamindu Wickramasinghe, who made his debut in T20I July against India and is a like-for-like replacement for Shanaka with his all-round fast-bowling skills, keeps his place.
In other prominent names, both Dilshan Madushanka and Dushmantha Chameera remain out of the squad. Chameera is still recovering from an injury, while Madushanka is dropped on the grounds of his economy rate (9.75 after 15 T20Is). Dinesh Chandimal, meanwhile, keeps his spot. He was part of Sri Lanka’s three-match series versus India but didn’t get a game.
Jeffrey Vandersay, who picked 6/33 in the second ODI against India, comes back to the T20I cricket. He last played in the format in February 2022.
Rajapaksa’s call-up stems from the missing firepower in the middle-order for Sri Lanka. The left-hander scored 127 runs for the champions St Lucia Kings in the recently concluded season of the Caribbean Premier League (CPL). While his strike rate was 141.1, Rajapaksa could only average 25.4 runs per wicket.
Shanaka had been struggling in international cricket of late. In T20I in 2024, he averaged only 11.7 with the bat while picking only eight wickets in 14 matches at an economy of 8.7. With Wickramasinghe emerging as a new all-round option, Sri Lanka seems to be moving on from Shanaka.
Rest of the batting contingent is on the expected lines. Matheesha Pathirana, Nuwan Thushara, Binura Fernando and Asitha Fernando are the specialist seamers in the squad with Wanindu Hasaranga, Vandersay, Maheesh Theekshana and Dunith Wellalage framing the spin-bowling options.
The T20I series starts on Sunday (October 13), with all three matches in Dambulla.
Sri Lanka's T20I squad:
Charith Asalanka ( c ), Pathum Nissanka, Kusal Mendis, Kusal Perera, Kamindu Mendis, Dinesh Chandimal, Avishka Fernando, Bhanuka Rajapaksa, Wanindu Hasaranga, Maheesh Theekshana, Dunith Wellalage, Jeffrey Vandersay, Chamidu Wickramasinghe, Nuwan Thushara, Matheesha Pathirana, Binura Fernando, Asitha Fernando
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