The Sri Lanka ODI squad for the upcoming series against the visiting West Indians which will be held from 22nd February onwards, has been announced by Sri Lanka Cricket with a few big names making a comeback to the ODI squad. SLC initially named a 20-member preliminary squad for both the ODIs and T20Is.
Read: 20-member preliminary Sri Lanka squad named for Windies ODIs and T20Is
Regular players who didn’t tour to Pakistan in the last ODI Series, skipper Dimuth Karunaratne, Kusal Perera, Angelo Mathews, Dhananjaya de Silva, Niroshan Dickwella and Kusal Mendis will feature in the ODI squad vs West Indies. The above mentioned players are turning up to an ODI after almost 7 months, their last appearance was against Bangladesh in July 2019.
According to the chairman of selectors, Sri Lanka Asantha de Mel, though Dickwella is part of the ODI squad, he will not play the 1st ODI as he has been diagnosed with Dengue fever but will be available for the rest of the games. Apart from Dickwella, Kusal Perera and Kusal Mendis are the other wicket keepers in the squad.
Read: Niroshan Dickwella out of 1st ODI
Thisara Perera who performed decently in the Bangadesh Premier League, is making a comeback to the national setup after he was dropped from the squad last August for the New Zealand T20Is. Most probably, Perera will have to compete with Dasun Shanaka for a spot in the playing XI. Apart from Perera, seamer Nuwan Pradeep who was sidelined due to a knee injury has fully recovered and will share the new ball with Lahiru Kumara and Isuru Udana
Unfortunately, the centurion of the last ODI Sri Lanka played, Dhanushka Gunathilaka will miss the ODI series as he is suffering from a back injury. The captain of that ODI Series in Pakistan, Lahiru Thirimanne also failed to find a spot in the final 15.
Sri Lanka ODI Squad
Dimuth Karunaratne (C), Kusal Perera, Avishka Fernando, Niroshan Dickwella, Angelo Mathews, Kusal Mendis, Dhananjaya De Silva, Shehan Jayasuriya, Wanindu Hasaranga, Dasun Shanaka, Thisara Perera, Lakshan Sandakan, Nuwan Pradeep, Isuru Udana, Lahiru Kumara
So far, both countries have met each other 57 times in ODIs and West Indies has won 28 of them to Sri Lanka’s 26. Last time West Indies visited Sri Lanka; the visitors were whitewashed 3-0 by the hosts under the captaincy of Angelo Mathews.
- 1st ODI – 22 February – SSC
- 2nd ODI – 26 February – Hambantota
- 3rd ODI – 01 March – Pallekele
Keep it logged onto ThePapare.com for all the latest updates, match reports, live scorecards and videos of this tournament.
