Sri Lanka Cricket have named their 20-man squad for the upcoming Asia Cup, to be held in UAE. The selectors have opted to include senior wicketkeeper-batter Dinesh Chandimal, who missed the team's last T20I assignment - a home series against Australia in June-July. His last T20I outing came in India in February this year.
SLC have also picked the impressive Matheesha Pathirana - the 19-year-old fast bowler who has played nine T20 games and made an instant impact in the few games he played for Chennai Super Kings in IPL this year. Pathirana with his slingy bowling action is likened to the former fast bowler Lasith Malinga, who enjoyed a storied career at the top with the national side.. Bhanuka Rajapaksa, another batter who showed his big-hitting prowess at the IPL this year, has also found a spot. Sri Lanka have named four spinners in their squad - Wanidu Hasaranga, Mahesh Theekshana, Jeffery Vandersay, Praveen Jayawickrema, who all will be handy in the venue at Dubai, where both their first round games against Afghanistan (August 27) and Bangladesh (September 1) will be held.Besides Pathirana, Sri Lanka have Dushmantha Chameera and Chamika Karunaratne among pacers. The selectors initially picked Binura Fernando too, but he will not travel following an injury sustained during SLC Invitational T20 League 2022.
