Final call for Sri Lanka ahead of Asia Cup

Janith Liyanage: No place for him in T20 series

Sri Lanka will open its three-match T20 cricket series against underdog Zimbabwe with the first match starting today in Harare with play scheduled to start at 5 pm Sri Lanka time.

The second and third games will be played on Saturday and Sunday.

Sri Lanka go in as favourites to win the series after winning the two-match ODI series 2-0 against the same opposition.

The three T20 matches are also preparatory matches for Sri Lanka ahead of the six-nation Asia Cup which begins in the United Arab Emirates on September 9.

Batsmen Dinesh Chandimal and Avishka Fernando who played in Sri Lanka’s last T20 series against Bangladesh will not be part of the action. 

But Sri Lanka will also be hard-pressed to come up with a more precise performance being the team that plays against higher opposition than Zimbabwe who in recent times have not played against the best teams but were still able to be competitive in the concluded ODI series.

Sri Lanka named a 17-member squad for the T20 series and in it are Nuwanidu Fernando, Kamil Mishara, Vishen Helambage and Dushan Hemantha while the rest are regular players with the team.

It remains a mystery why the consistant Janith Liyanage is yet to find a regular place in the Sri Lanka T20 squad. He was a match-winner in the ODI series against Zimbabwe and is not named in the T20 side.

Nuwanidu Fernando was a member of the Sri Lanka ODI squad in Zimbabwe and is yet to make the grade while Helambage, a 20-year old batsman from St. Peter’s College, is the newest face among the Sri Lanka players.

With Sri Lanka having to get its act together ahead of the Asia Cup, it will be a tough call to make in having Helambage in the playing X1 team.

Sri Lanka T20 squad:
Charith Asalanka (captain), Pathum Nissanka, Kusal Mendis, Kusal Perera, Nuwanidu Fernando, Kamindu Mendis, Kamil Mishara, Vishen Helambage, Dasun Shanaka, Dunith Wellalage, Chamika Karunaratne, Maheesh Theekshana, Dushan Hemantha, Dushmantha Chameera, Binura Fernando, Nuwan Thushara, Matheesha Pathirana