Sri Lanka announce T20I squad (for all matches including Lahore T20I), Thisara Perera to lead

[Abdullah719]

Thisara Perera, the allrounder, was named the captain of Sri Lanka’s Twenty20 International side for the three-match series against Pakistan on Saturday.

The first two matches of the series will be played in the United Arab Emirates, but the last match will take place in Lahore, Pakistan. Upul Tharanga, the regular skipper, had pulled out of the series over security fears.

Perera recently toured Pakistan as part of the World XI side last month, and was the obvious candidate to lead Sri Lanka after Tharanga pulled out. The other regular faces who will be missing from the T20I series include Lasith Malinga (pulled out), Angelo Mathews and Kusal Perera (injured), Niroshan Dickwella, Chamara Kapugedara and Suranga Lakmal (withdrew).

Sri Lanka T20I squad: Thisara Perera (Captain), Dilshan Munaweera, Danushka Gunathilaka, Sadeera Samarawickrama (wk), Ashan Priyanjan, Mahela Udawatte, Dasun Shanaka, Minod Bhanuka, Sachith Pathirana, Vikum Sanjaya, Lahiru Gamage, Seekkuge Prasanna, Vishwa Fernando, Isuru Udana, Jeffrey Vandersay and Chathuranga de Silva.

https://www.icc-cricket.com/news/496125

 

[RehanG]

Looking at Lanka Squad it is Going to be very onesided and boring series.. i hope people come to stadium in Lahore to watch this

 

[another drop catch]

second string team or below that

 

[SarfiBabarHaris]

Good. Now they will try new players like Gunathalika, Sadeera etc.. The current crop of Thirmane, Kapugedra etc is mediocre.

 

[Madplayer]

Not even siriwardana is coming.

 

[Hasan123]

Not the best squad but at least some players are willing to come. Need a incident free game now.

 

[UN talkz]

Some good players there and some new ones as well....

 

[Arham_PakFan]

Not even siriwardana is coming.

He’s not that good.Has failed in the ODI’s too.

 

[bujhee kom]

Wish Pk all the very best with a safe game.

 

[Arham_PakFan]

This isn’t a second string team lol.Most of these players have played in the recent past and have been part of SL squads.Only real misses are Malinga(who’s declined in form) and Dickwella.

 

[Suleiman]

This isn’t a second string team lol.Most of these players have played in the recent past and have been part of SL squads.Only real misses are Malinga(who’s declined in form) and Dickwella.

Malinga is whatever. But no Dickwella? That will be kinda hard to take.

 

[Langau]

Those in bold are the top players.

Sri Lanka T20I squad: Thisara Perera (Captain), Dilshan Munaweera, Danushka Gunathilaka, Sadeera Samarawickrama (wk), Ashan Priyanjan, Mahela Udawatte, Dasun Shanaka, Minod Bhanuka, Sachith Pathirana, Vikum Sanjaya,
Lahiru Gamage, Seekkuge Prasanna, Vishwa Fernando, Isuru Udana, Jeffrey Vandersay and Chathuranga de Silva.

 

[90MPH]

Wanted Malinga to come but respect his decision if he doesn't want to.

I hope the matches are competitive unlike the recent one sided ODI series.

 

[Ahson8]

Not even siriwardana is coming.

Pathirana is better anyway. Apart from Dickwella and Malinga, they won’t really miss anyone tbh.

 

[cricketjoshila]

Second string side.Too many pull outs i presume.Lets hope matches ate nit boring.

 

[cricketjoshila]

Has Chandimal pulled out?

 

[90MPH]

second string team or below that

Well even if that was the case (which isn't the case as there are some first players) their first team has nothing to shout about - they are not just losing but getting smashed nearly every game.

This may well be a blessing for them to try newer players.

 

[clean n cool]

The sheer happiness on Thisara Perera's face after winning the 2nd match of pk vs WXI was one of the best #spiritOfCricket moments for me in recent times. Hoping he comes up the order and plays a key innings for the wounded tigers and the Lahori Crowd backs him like they did earlier

 

[cricketjoshila]

SL coach Nic Pothas has pulled out.

 

[saeed5646]

Has Chandimal pulled out?

cHANDIMAL have played his last t20 for SL in january this year he was also not picked for last t20 series

against india so it make sense why he is not selected as for pulled out you should contact him did he pull out or

were not consider

 

[saeed5646]

This isn’t a second string team lol.Most of these players have played in the recent past and have been part of SL squads.Only real misses are Malinga(who’s declined in form) and Dickwella.

9 out of 15 where part of recent t20 series against india while mathew was injured so not that bad as it looks

 

[MenInG]

Look this is the team that Sri Lanka is sending. Its their problem, their ranking. If they dont care etc - who are we to worry about it?

 

[Adnan_Ilyas]

As long as we win or hopefully dominate im happy!

 

[CricFan2012]

This is dumb by Sri Lanka to persist with the same squad for the UAE matches, like at least try to win something

 

[Rana]

Highly ironic. On a few occasions now it seems the desperate players are willing to tour Pakistan whereas the ones who know their places are secured could care less.

 

[cricketjoshila]

Nic Pothas and physio join seven players in Lahore no-show

Sri Lanka coach Nic Pothas has joined seven players in not going to Pakistan for the one off T-20 International in Lahore scheduled on October 29. A fortnight ago, 40 contracted players had handed Sri Lanka Cricket President Thilanga Sumathipala a letter indicating their reluctance to travel to Lahore.

Soon the board officials flew down to UAE to begin discussions with players and although six players in the ODI squad in UAE softened their stance, seven others insisted on not going on the trip. That eventually made them ineligible for the entire T20 series as Sumathipala had told Cricbuzz that one squad will play the entire series.

The players who pulled out from the Lahore game are - captain Upul Tharanga, Lasith Malinga, Niroshan Dickwella, Suranga Lakmal, Chamara Kapugedera, Milinda Siriwardene and Akila Dananjaya. Kapugedera and Lakmal were in the team bus when armed terrorists attacked the Sri Lankan bus in Lahore in March 2009.

Former captain Angelo Mathews, who is injured wasn't considered along with Dinesh Chandimal and Lahiru Thirimanne, who haven't been in Sri Lanka's T20 squad in recent times. "Nic has informed the board that he is definitely not going to Lahore. The physiotherapist Nirmalan Dhanabalasingham has also indicated that he is not going while the trainer Nic Lee is still contemplating what to do. But six other support staff including myself are definitely going," Sri Lanka's Cricket Manager Asanka Gurusinha told Cricbuzz.

SLC CEO Ashley de Silva was having negotiations with the coaching staff and the board sources told Cricbuzz that batting coach and former captain Hashan Thilakaratne is one of the options to take over the coaching assignment in the absence of Pothas.

When asked about his availability for Lahore game after the third ODI in Abu Dhabi, Pothas had said that he was still contemplating what to do. It is believed that Pothas had initially agreed for the tour after Pakistan coach Mickey Arthur spoke to him and Gurusinha about security in Lahore. However, he has withdrawn after discussions with his family back in England. Pothas is a former South African wicketkeeper-batsman.

http://www.cricbuzz.com/cricket-new...oin-seven-players-pakistan-lahore-t20-no-show

 

[MMHS]

Must have to be a good team, because I hardly know many of the squad. On contrary, I knew almost everyone in the ODI squad - it can't be worse than that.

 

[Flat_Track_Bully]

Good for revenue whoever players.

 

[KyoOne]

If 9-10 players that were first choice are coming to Lahore, this is no way a second-string squad.

And even if it really was second-string, we would have welcomed them with open arms, unlike our certain padosis who CANCELLED a test series with Windies when they were sending second-string squad

 

[Arsalan Pro]

Whoever they send, International cricket in Pakistan will happen and that is what we want. Also, what bad can their second string team do when their first choice team can't win a match.

 

[MenInG]

This is dumb by Sri Lanka to persist with the same squad for the UAE matches, like at least try to win something

Very honourable in my view and sends a message to all players and countries; its a matter of principle

 

[90MPH]

Whoever they send, International cricket in Pakistan will happen and that is what we want. Also, what bad can their second string team do when their first choice team can't win a match.

Exactly. Thranga only averages 13 in T20 so he hardly was going to be missed.

The only noticeable absentee is Malinga. But otherwise I have no problem with this team and neither should anyone else. Who knows trying new players might work for them.

 

[DRsohail]

it willl be good for srilanka,cant be worst than these odi players.

 

[Sherlock]

SL should have had 2 different squads for the first 2 T20s and the last one in Lahore. Putting pressure on those not going to the final T20 is an odd move.

I respect those not wanting to go to Lahore and SL board should've seen this coming. Now we'll see a very weak SL side in all 3 games.

 

[ali333]

Anather t20i series win for sarfraz after SL squads announcement

 

[Abdullah719]

SLanka sports minister joins Pakistan tour

Sri Lanka's sports minister announced on Wednesday he would join the national cricket team on their first match in Pakistan since gunmen attacked their team bus in Lahore eight years ago.

Dayasiri Jayasekara said Sri Lanka was satisfied with security preparations for the Twenty20 final in Lahore later in October despite reservations from some players.

"It is safe for our team. I am accompanying them to demonstrate that it is safe for us," Jayasekara told reporters in Colombo.

"The ICC (International Cricket Council) has also said it is safe for us to tour Pakistan."

Several top players have pulled out of the three-match series starting Thursday in the United Arab Emirates, concerned about security when the final shifts to Lahore on October 29.

Sources close to Sri Lanka's cricket board say coach Nic Pothas will also not join the squad in Lahore.

It will be Sri Lanka's first visit to Pakistan since 2009 when gunmen opened fire on their squad bus, killing eight people and injuring seven visiting team members and support staff.

No top international side has played in Pakistan since the attack.

Players who expressed concerns about security – including batsman Chamara Kapugedara and bowler Suranga Lakmal, who survived the 2009 assault – have been dropped from the series.

Skipper Upul Tharanga, fast bowler Lasith Malinga and batsmen Niroshan Dickwella have also been left out of the squad.

On Saturday Sri Lanka made 28-year-old allrounder Thisara Perera the captain of the T20 squad.

He had toured Pakistan as a member of a World XI for a three-match Twenty20 international series played in Lahore last month.

That series was part of Pakistani efforts to bring international cricket back to the country.

Pakistan hosted Zimbabwe for a five-match limited overs series in 2015 but top teams have refused to tour there, forcing Pakistan to play home matches in neutral venues in the UAE.

Sri Lanka Cricket chief Thilanga Sumathipala will also travel to Lahore with the team.

https://www.supersport.com/cricket/...25/SLanka_sports_minister_joins_Pakistan_tour