Sri Lankan cricket fans received news of a squad change as Kusal Perera has been sidelined from the T20I leg of their Bangladesh tour due to a respiratory infection. Stepping in as his replacement is Niroshan Dickwella, who is set to join the team on Saturday. The remainder of the squad had already departed for Bangladesh on the 29th of February.
Dickwella’s return to the national side marks a significant moment, given his absence since March 2023, particularly in white-ball cricket where his last appearance was in June 2022. Despite recent promising performances in List A cricket, where he showcased his batting prowess with consecutive fifties in the Men’s National Super League, Dickwella faced exclusion from the national side due to a prolonged dip in form, as observed by the previous selectors.
Notwithstanding his cricketing talents, Dickwella’s career hasn’t been without controversy, notably involving disciplinary issues. In 2021, he found himself in hot water alongside Kusal Mendis and Danushka Gunatilake for breaching team bio-bubble protocols, resulting in a ban.
In light of Wanindu Hasaranga’s suspension, Charith Asalanka will assume the role of Sri Lanka’s captain for the first two T20Is against Bangladesh, scheduled to commence on March 4th in Sylhet. All three T20Is of the series will be hosted in Sylhet.
The Sri Lankan T20I squad remains as follows: Wanindu Hasaranga (captain for the last game), Charith Asalanka (captain for the first two games), Kusal Mendis, Sadeera Samarawickrama, Angelo Mathews, Dasun Shanaka, Maheesh Theekshana, Dhananjaya de Silva, Niroshan Dickwella, Dilshan Madushanka, Nuwan Thushara, Matheesha Pathirana, Akila Dananjaya, Binura Fernando, Kamindu Mendis, Avishka Fernando, and Jeffrey Vandersay.
