Top-order batter Sadeera Samarawickrama and left-arm pacer Dilshan Madushanka have returned.
Sri Lanka have named a full-strength squad for the upcoming ODI series against Bangladesh, bringing back batter Sadeera Samarawickrama and left-arm pacer Dilshan Madushanka. Fast-bowling all-rounder Milan Rathnayake, who is yet to make his ODI debut, has also been included.
The 16-member squad, announced by Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) on Friday, will be led by Charith Asalanka for the three-match home series.
Sri Lanka last played an ODI series at home in February against Australia, which they won 2–0. From that squad, Nuwanidu Fernando, Lahiru Kumara, and Mohammad Shiraz have been left out this time.
Milan Rathnayake made headlines with both bat and ball in the first Test of the ongoing series against Bangladesh. However, due to a side strain, he is missing the second Test in Colombo. He has been included in the ODI squad subject to fitness, with expectations that he’ll recover before the first match on Wednesday. Though he has played five Tests, the 28-year-old is yet to feature in any white-ball format for Sri Lanka.
In 49 List A matches, Rathnayake has taken 55 wickets and scored 189 runs in 29 innings, including one half-century.
Both Samarawickrama and Madushanka last played ODIs in November at home against New Zealand. Madushanka missed the Australia series due to injury, while Samarawickrama was left out of the squad.
Samarawickrama, who has played 50 ODIs, last featured in List A cricket this April for Sri Lanka A. In the tri-nation series in Abu Dhabi against Ireland A and Afghanistan A, he scored 197 runs in four innings, including a century and a fifty. Madushanka picked up eight wickets in four matches in the same series.
Rathnayake also impressed in that series—he took 3 wickets for 24 runs in the final against Ireland A and followed it up with an unbeaten 77 to guide the team to victory and earn the Player of the Match award. He finished with 7 wickets in 3 matches.
The first two ODIs between Bangladesh and Sri Lanka will be played at R. Premadasa Stadium in Colombo, with the second match scheduled for July 5. The third and final ODI will be held in Pallekele on July 8.
This series will also mark the beginning of Mehidy Hasan Miraz’s captaincy stint in ODIs for Bangladesh.
Sri Lanka ODI Squad
Charith Asalanka (capt), Pathum Nissanka, Avishka Fernando, Nishan Madushka, Kusal Mendis, Sadeera Samarawickrama, Kamindu Mendis, Janith Liyanage, Dunith Wellalage, Wanindu Hasaranga, Maheesh Theekshana, Jeffrey Vandersay, Milan Rathnayake (subject to fitness), Dilshan Madushanka, Asitha Fernando, Ishan Malinga.
