Sri Lanka Cricket have removed Charith Asalanka as the T20I captain and appointed Dasun Shanaka to lead the side for the upcoming T20 World Cup.
Confirming the decision on Friday, December 19, Sri Lanka Cricket chief selector Upul Tharanga Wickramasinghe said the change was made after discussions with head coach Sanath Jayasuriya and the high-performance unit.
“We decided that Dasun Shanaka should be captain until the end of the World Cup, after talking to head coach Sanath Jayasuriya as well,” Wickramasinghe said.
Asalanka had captained Sri Lanka during the recently concluded tri-series in Pakistan but returned home midway due to illness, forcing Shanaka to step in as stand-in skipper. The tour went ahead despite security concerns raised by some squad members following a suicide bombing in Islamabad, which led to changes in match dates and venues.
Sri Lanka Cricket had earlier warned that any player or support staff member returning home against board directives would face a formal review. However, Asalanka’s return was attributed to illness, though the severity of the condition and whether it warranted travel back home were not clarified.
Wickramasinghe also confirmed that selectors have retained the same list of 25 players chosen by the previous selection committee as Sri Lanka’s preliminary squad for the T20 World Cup. The decision was taken after consultations with head of high performance Jerome Jayaratne and Jayasuriya.
Shanaka, who has been included in the World Cup squad, will be viewed primarily as an all-rounder, according to the selectors.
“We are looking at Dasun as an all-rounder. We’ll have to talk to Sanath Jayasuriya and work out what is required of him,” Wickramasinghe added.
Sri Lanka preliminary T20 World Cup squad
Dasun Shanaka (c), Charith Asalanka, Pathum Nissanka, Dhananjaya de Silva, Kusal Mendis, Kamil Mishara, Kusal Perera, Niroshan Dickwella, Janith Liyanage, Wanindu Hasaranga, Dunith Wellalage, Milan Rathnayake, Kamindu Mendis, Pavan Rathnayake, Sahan Arachchige, Nuwan Thushara, Eshan Malinga, Dushmantha Chameera, Pramod Madushan, Matheesha Pathirana, Dilshan Madushanka, Maheesh Theekshana, Dushan Hemantha, Vijayakanth Viyaskanth, Traveen Mathew.
