Kusal Mendis, Wanindu Hasaranga named Sri Lanka’s ODI and T20I captains for Zimbabwe series

Colombo, Dec 30

Sri Lanka have announced that Kusal Mendis and Wanindu Hasaranga will be the captains of the men's ODI and T20I teams respectively for the home series against Zimbabwe in January, adding that Charith Asalanka will be the vice-captain in both formats.

The move also means that Dasun Shanaka has been freed from Sri Lanka leadership duties in white-ball cricket. Hasaranga has been out of action since suffering a hamstring injury in the Lanka Premier League in August. He underwent an operation, which subsequently ruled him out of the Asia Cup and the Men’s ODI World Cup.

Hasaranga, the leg-spin bowling all-rounder, is now all set to make a return to international cricket via the series against Zimbabwe, where he will be captaining Sri Lanka in T20I series, as they build up their preparation for 2024 Men’s T20 World Cup, to be held in the West Indies and USA from June 4-30.

Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) added that the final squads for both ODIs and T20Is against Zimbabwe will be selected from the preliminary list in due course. The hosts’ will be playing all of their white-ball matches against Zimbabwe from January 6-18 the R Premadasa Stadium in Colombo.

Sri Lanka Preliminary ODI squad: Kusal Mendis (c), Charith Asalanka (vc), Pathum Nissanka, Avishka Fernando, Sadeera Samarawickrama, Sahan Arachchige, Nuwanidu Fernando, Dasun Shanaka, Kamindu Mendis, Chamika Karunaratne, Janith Liyanage, Wanindu Hasaranga, Maheesh Theekshana, Dilshan Madushanka, Dushmantha Chameera, Dunith Wellalage, Pramod Madushan, Asitha Fernando, Akila Dananjaya, Jeffrey Vandersay, Chamika Gunasekera.

Sri Lanka Preliminary T20I squad: Wanindu Hasaranga (c), Charith Asalanka (vc), Pathum Nissanka, Kusal Mendis, Sadeera Samarawickrama, Dasun Shanaka, Angelo Mathews, Dhananjaya de Silva, Maheesh Theekshana, Kusal Janith Perera, Bhanuka Rajapaksa, Kamindu Mendis, Dunith Wellalage, Akila Dananjaya, Jeffrey Vandersay, Chamika Karunaratne, Dushmantha Chameera, Dilshan Madushanka, Binura Fernando, Nuwan Thushara, Pramod Madushan, Matheesha Pathirana.