Charith Asalanka to lead Sri Lanka T2o team vs India; Dinesh Chandimal included, Angelo Mathews dropped

Charith Asalanka has been named Sri Lanka’s captain for the upcoming T20I series against India. The three-match T20I series will begin on July 27 at Pallekele.

Asalanka replaces Wanindu Hasaranga, who stepped down as Sri Lanka’s captain after the T20 World Cup 2024, in which Sri Lanka were ousted in the first round.

This will be the second time that Asalanka will be leading the Sri Lanka team. He was the captain of two T20 internationals against Bangladesh earlier this year. He took up the role after regular captain Hasaranga was serving a suspension.

Asalanka has also led the Sri Lanka U-19 team and led the Jaffna Kings to the Lanka Premier League title recently. He took over the captaincy of the Jaffna Kings from former Sri Lankan player Thisara Perera.

The selectors also included Dinesh Chandimal in Sri Lanka’s T20 international squad. The 34-year-old last played a T20 international in 2022 but was in good form in the recently concluded Lanka Premier League.

Chandimal, who opened the innings for the Kandy Falcons in the Lanka Premier League, scored 287 runs in eight matches at a strike rate of 168.82.

Along with Chandimal, uncapped all-rounder Chamindu Wickramasinghe was also included in the T20 squad.

Wickramasinghe also had a very fruitful Lanka Premier League season where he scalped seven wickets in eight matches for the Dambulla Sixers. He is also a handy lower-order batter, where he scored 186 runs, including two half-centuries, at a strike rate of 131.91.

The 21-year-old Wickramasinghe is a regular trainee at the MRF Pace Academy in Chennai, overseen by former Australian bowler Glenn McGrath and Senthilnathan.

However, the 37-year-old Angelo Mathews, who also had a good Lanka Premier League, does not find a place in the team.

Meanwhile, the Indian cricket team, led by Suryakumar Yadav, arrived in Pallekele on Monday evening for the T20I series.

The caravan next moves to Colombo, where the teams will play three ODIs, starting August 2.

Sri Lanka squad for T20I series:

Charith Asalanka (captain), Pathum Nissanka, Kusal Janith Perera, Avishka Fernando, Kusal Mendis, Dinesh Chandimal, Kamindu Mendis, Dasun Shanaka, Wanindu Hasaranga, Dunith Wellalage, Maheesh Theekshana, Chamindu Wickramasinghe, Matheesha Pathirana, Nuwan Thushara, Dushmantha Chameera and Binura Fernando.