Dushmantha Chameera, Sri Lanka’s fast bowler, will miss the home series against India due to injury. “Only yesterday did we receive the reports, and it is definite that he will miss the T20Is and ODIs against India,” Sri Lanka’s chief selector Upul Tharanga said at a press conference alongside newly appointed temporary head coach Sanath Jayasuriya on Wednesday. “We’ll name a replacement soon.”
Chameera appeared for the Kandy Falcons in the Lanka Premier League (LPL) earlier this month. But unfortunately, he was not chosen for the final. It’s unknown when or how he sustained the injuries. His successor is expected to be Asitha Fernando, Dilshan Madushanka (who was previously dropped from the squad), or Kasun Rajitha. Mathews was unexpectedly recalled to the T20I side at the start of the year, ahead of the T20 World Cup 2024 in June. Despite amassing 261 runs with a strike rate of 151.74 in the LPL, he was not included in the squad to face India.
Sri Lanka’s Focus On New Talent
While Mathews has yet to retire from T20Is, Tharanga appeared to reveal the 37-year-old was no longer being considered as Sri Lanka prepares for the next T20 World Cup in 2026. “When we came in [as selectors], we spoke with Angie about playing in the previous World Cup; that was the intention,” Tharanga said. “But in the little time he was in the side after we brought him in, he performed admirably. He also performed well in the LPL as a finisher. However, we must consider the future.” Chandimal and Perera produced outstanding performances in the LPL 2024. They reached 287 and 296 runs, respectively.
With superb strike rates while opening the innings. But the rivalry is fierce at the top of Sri Lanka’s batting order, with Tharanga naming Pathum Nissanka and Kusal Mendis as first-choice openers. Kamindu Mendis is also expected to start at number four. And Avishka Fernando serving as a backup after a good LPL season. Captain Charith Asalanka will remain at number five, leaving one position at number three for either Chandimal or Perera.
Shanaka and Wickramasinghe as Backup
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With all three T20Is taking place in Pallekele, a venue that has provided more pace and bounce than anywhere else in the country, Tharanga believes Sri Lanka might field three fast bowlers. Nuwan Thushara, Binura Fernando, and Matheesha Pathirana could be the first-choice combo, as each brings something unique to the powerplay and death. Dasun Shanaka is another seam possibility at number six, with Chamindu Wickramasinghe, an uncapped allrounder, serving as backup. On the spin front, Wanindu Hasaranga and Mahesh Theekshana will play, with Dunith Wellalage available if Sri Lanka requires an extra spinner.
Every member of the squad competed in the just-ended LPL season. They will be familiar with the circumstances at Pallekele, where they played one of the tournament’s legs. The team is now in Kandy for a pre-series preparation camp and is working on a short-term basis with Rajasthan Royals’ high-performance director Zubin Bharucha.
Former Sri Lanka captain Kumar Sangakkara, RR’s director of cricket, helped organize the move. “It was amazing training with Zubin since we performed a lot of stuff that we had never done before,” Jayasuriya said. “There was a lot of work done with him, and we learned a lot from him. I think the players learned about more effective practices and approaches. So I believe the preparations have gone well, and we still have two days in Kandy,” he added.
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