Sri Lanka has handed comebacks to Danushka Gunathilaka, Niroshan Dickwella, Dhananjaya de Silva and Bhanuka Rajapaksa in their enlarged 21-man squad for the ODI series against Australia. The selectors have also kept a nice mix of youth and experience by offering a maiden call-up to U19 star Dunith Wellalage.
28-year-old right-arm seamer Pramod Madushan is another fresh face part of the playing contingent for the five-match home series. Allrounder Lahiru Madushanka and speedster Asitha Fernando are two others recalled by the selection panel.
The think-tank, however, has left out veteran pacer Nuwan Pradeep in a surprising omission. Others making way for the comeback men and new entrants are Chamika Gunasekara, Shiran Fernando, Minod Bhanuka and Kamindu Mendis. The quartet was expected to be left out, given they were picked largely in a stop-gap arrangement for Sri Lanka’s most recent ODI assignment in January against Zimbabwe.
With the return of Gunathilaka, Dickwella, backed up by De Silva and Rajapaksa, Sri Lanka’s batting wears a stronger outlook as they join the likes of Kusal Mendis, Charith Asalanka, Pathum Nissanka and stalwart Dinesh Chandimal.
As usual, the Lankans aren’t short of allround capabilities, with Wanindu Hasaranga, Chamika Karunaratne, and Ramesh Mendis being a few incumbents of the side where Shanaka, too, can roll his arm over.
Adding to this list is the exciting Wellalage, whose promise with bat and ball caught everyone impressed during the U19 World Cup in the West Indies this year. The left-hand batter top-scored for his team with 264 runs from six innings at 44.00, backed up by a strike-rate of 70.40. He also took 17 wickets with his slow left-arm orthodox spin, carrying an economy rate of 4.20.
The five-match series against Australia gets underway on June 14 in Pallekele, which also hosts the following one-dayer on June 16. The ODI series will then shift to Colombo, where the famous Premadasa Stadium will host the final three games on June 19, 21 and 24, respectively.
