SRI LANKA CRICKET NEWS
(JULY 2024)
Compiled by Victor Melder
Former Sri Lankan captain Sanath Jayasuriya has been appointed as the interim Head Coach of the Sri Lanka men’s national cricket team. Jayasuriya will lead the team for the home series against India and the Test tour to England while Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) searches for a replacement for Chris Silverwood, who resigned last week. Jayasuriya also served as a Consultant for the team during this year’s T20 World Cup. Chris Silverwood has resigned from his position as head coach of Sri Lanka’s men’s team last week. (Daily Mirror, 8.7.2024)
National Men’s T20I Captain Wanindu Hasaranga has decided to resign from the captaincy, Sri Lanka Cricket confirmed in a press release. Hasaranga said it is in the best interest of Sri Lanka Cricket that he decided to relinquish the captaincy duties and remain in the side as a player. “Sri Lanka will always have my utmost best efforts as a player, and I will support and stand by my team and leadership as always,” said Wanindu Hasaranga in his resignation letter. Sri Lanka Cricket, while accepting his resignation, stated that Hasaranga will remain an important player in their international cricketing plans.(Ceylon Today, 12.7.2024)
The schedule of Sri Lanka’s upcoming white-ball tour of Sri Lanka has been revised, and the start of the contest pushed back by a day to July 27, the Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) said on Saturday. Sri Lanka will now start their T20Is against the Indian side on July 27 as they play their first three matches of the shortest format of the game at Pallekele. They later move to Colombo on the 31st, as they will play their three ODIs in the capital city. (Daily Mirror, 13.7.2024)
National selection panel has met ODI captain Kusal Mendis to inform him that he will be replaced as skipper with the reins of white ball captaincy handed to Charith Asalanka. The left-handed batter was the front-runner to take over the T-20 captaincy vacated by Wanindu Hasaranga and yesterday it was confirmed that Asalanka in fact will lead both white ball teams taking over from Mendis in ODI cricket. Like Hasaranga, Mendis took over the ODI side in January this year having stood in for the injured Dasun Shanaka during the World Cup last year in India. The selectors had indicated to Mendis that the team needed to head in a new direction. Mendis is lucky to hold on to his place in the T-20 side. In the LPL, he is yet to score a half-century although he has featured in all seven games so far for Galle Marvels. The Island learns the selectors were keen to drop him but new skipper Asalanka had requested the selectors to let Mendis remain in the side. The new captain’s demand is unlikely to go down too well. There is no place for former captain Angelo Mathews though. Mathews was recalled to the T-20 side after three years and had decent outings but he was far from being his former self. Sadeera Samarawickrama and Dhananjaya de Silva, who were part of the World Cup campaign have been axed. Hard hitting batters Avishka Fernando and Kusal Janith Perera, both of whom were overlooked for the T-20 World Cup are expected to be back in the side along with former captain Dinesh Chandimal. All three have been terrific in the Lanka Premier League.Young all-rounder Chamindu Wickramasinghe, who too excelled in the LPL is expected to be called up for three match series against India. India arrive in the island next week and will play three T-20 Internationals in Kandy while the ODIs will take place in Colombo. It remains to be seen what kind of squad India will name for the series. The Indians are currently in Zimbabwe with a second-string side. Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli and Ravindra Jadeja are retired from T-20 cricket after being crowned World Champions in Barbados last month. Hardik Pandya is expected to be named new captain. It remains to be seen whether India will name Jasprit Bumrah in the squad. India are under a new Head Coach – Gautam Gambhir.
The Sri Lanka Cricket Selection Committee have selected the below-given 16-member squad to play in the T20I series during the India Tour of Sri Lanka 2024. The Minister of Sports and Youth Affairs, Harin Fernando, approved the squad. The T20I games will be played on the 27th, 28th, and 30th July at the PICS, Pallekele. The Squad: Charith Asalanka – Captain, Pathum Nissanka, Kusal Janith Perera, Avishka Fernando, Kusal Mendis, Dinesh Chandimal, Kamindu Mendis, Dasun Shanaka, Wanindu Hasaranga, Dunith Wellalage, Maheesh Theekshana, Chamindu Wickramasinghe, Matheesha Pathirana, Nuwan Thushara, Dushmantha Chameer, Binura Fernando (Daily News, 23.7.2024)
Fast bowler Dushmantha Chameera has been ruled out of the India series due to an injury. Along with Chameera, Binura Fernando, Matheesha Pathirana, and Nuwan Thushara are the other fast bowlers in the squad, while Chamindu Wickramasinghe and Dasun Shanaka are included as fast-bowling all-rounders. First T20 of the series will be held on 26th July at Pallekele. (Ceylon Today, 24.7.2024)
The three-match T20I series between Sri Lanka and world champions Team India is set to begin on Saturday, July 27, with all games scheduled in Pallekele. However, even before the series kicks off, Sri Lanka faces a potential setback as fast-bowler Binura Fernando is doubtful for the opening game. The Left-arm pacer is suffering from flu, which might prevent him from participating in the first T20I. Fernando, who was in excellent form during the Lanka Premier League earlier this month, picked up 13 wickets with an impressive economy rate of 6.81.. In T20Is, he has played 17 matches and taken 16 wickets. Ramesh Mendis has already been called up as a standby . “Binural Fernando has been hospitalized as the player is suffering from a chest infection. Ramesh Mendis has been brought into the squad as a standby player” said SLC in a media statement. (Ceylon Today, 27.7.2024)
The touring Indians beat Sri Lanka by 43 runs in the first T20 played at Pallekelle3 International Stadium, Kandy. Scores:
India – 213/7 in 20 Overs (Yadav 58, Pant 49, Jaiswal 40, Gill 34, Pathirana 4/40)
Sri Lanka – 170 in 19.2 Overs (Nissanka 79, Kusal Mendis 45, Perera 20, Parag 3/5, Singh 2/24, Patel 2/38)
Player of the Match: Suryakumar Yadav (India)
The touring Indians beat Sri Lanka by 7 wickets (D/L method), in a rain-washed encounters in the second T20 played at Pallekelle International Stadium, Kandy. Scores:
Sri Lanka – 161/9 in 19.2 Overs (Perera 52, Nissanka 32, Kamudu Mendis 26, Bishnoi 3/26, Pandya 2/23, Singhe 2/24, Patel 2/30)
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India – 81/3 in 6.3 Overs (Jaioswal 30, Yadava 26, Pandya 22no, Theekshana 1/16, Pathirana 1/18)
Player of the Match: Ravi Bishnoi (India)
The Cabinet of Ministers has approved a new constitution for Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC). The approval comes after extensive deliberations and recommendations aimed at addressing various challenges faced by Sri Lankan cricket. A committee, chaired by retired Supreme Court Judge K.T. Chithrasiri, was appointed to draft the new constitution for SLC. This appointment followed the recommendations of a Cabinet sub-committee led by the Minister of Foreign Affairs, which was tasked with studying the issues encountered by Sri Lankan cricket and proposing solutions .The new constitution, drafted by Judge Chithrasiri’s committee, has now been endorsed by the Cabinet of Ministers. (Daily Mirror, 30.7.2024).
The Sri Lanka Cricket Selection Committee has appointed Charith Asalanka as the new ODI captain, replacing Kusal Mendis. The decision comes ahead of the three-match ODI series against India, which is part of the ongoing India Tour of Sri Lanka 2024. Minister of Sports and Youth Affairs, Harin Fernando, approved the 16-member squad selected for the series. The matches are scheduled to be played on the 2nd, 4th, and 7th of August 2024 at the RPICS, Colombo. (Daily Mirror, 31.7.2024)
The touring Indians won over Sri Lanka (Match tied, India won the Super Over) in the third and final T20 played at Pallekelle International Stadium, Kandy. Scores:
India – 137/9 in 20 Overs (Gill 39, Parag 26, Sundar 215, Theekshana 3/28, Hasaranga 2/29, Fernando 1/11)
Sri Lanka – 137/8 in 20 Overs (Perera 46, Kusul Mendis 43, Nissanka 23, Singh 2/3, Yadava 2/5, Sundar 2/23, Bishnoi 2/38)
India won the 3 match series 3-0.
T20 Test Debut: Chamindu Wickramasinghe (Sri Lanka)
Player of the Match: Washington Sundar (India)
Player of the Series: Suriyakumar Yadav.:
