Sri Lanka have named the squad for the solitary T20I against India to be played at the R Premadasa Stadium in Colombo on September 6. The selection committee meeting headed by Sanath Jayasuriya has announced the 15-member squad.
Upul Tharanga will be leading the side. The all-rounder Dasun Shanaka and the leg-spinner Jeffrey Vandersay have been recalled to the side. Isuru Udana, Seekkuge Prasanna, Suranga Lakmal and Vikum Sanjaya are the names that were not a part of the ODI side and rest of the squad is the same that met India in the 5 one-dayers.
Sri Lankan’s squad for the one-off T20I:
Upul Tharanga (C), Niroshan Dickwella (wk), Angelo Mathew, Dilshan Munaweera, Dasun Shanaka, Milinda Siriwardena, Wanindu Hasaranga, Akila Dananjaya, Jeffrey Vandersay, Isuru Udana, Seekkuge Prasanna, Thisara Perera, Lasith Malinga, Suranga Lakmal, Vikum Sanjaya.
Chance to regain some pride
India’s whole tour to the neighboring country has been a nightmare for the hosts. They first received a massive hammering by 3-0 in the Test series and then trend continued in the ODIs also as they were clean swept by 5-0.
Apart from a little phase in the 2nd ODI where Akila Dananjaya ruffled the feathers of the Indian batsmen with a six wicket haul, the Lankan side never looked like competing with the opponents. It was all one-way traffic and India steamrolled the island nation in both the formats.
Now the action will move to the shortest format of the game. The Upul Tharanga-led side would be hoping for some sort of revival by emerging victorious in Colombo. More than winning, it will be about restoring some pride and avoiding the humiliation of losing all the matches across all 3 formats.
Sri Lanka need the experienced players like Angelo Mathews, Lasith Malinga and Upul Tharanga to rise to the occasion and lead from the front. They need to raise their games big time otherwise the result of the game won’t be different from what we have witnessed so far on the tour.
