Sri Lanka announce young squad for Asian Games 2023, Sahan Arachchige to lead

With the ODI World Cup clashing with the cricket event in the Asian Games 2023, teams like India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, and Bangladesh have decided to send second-string sides in the quest to win gold in Hangzhou, China. The cricket event is going to be played in the T20 format. Sri Lanka announced a team full of young and promising players who will take part in the Asian Games.

All-rounder Sahan Arachchige has been named as the captain of the side. He made his international debut against the West Indies in the ICC World Cup Qualifier, earlier this year. Nuwanidu Fernando, Nuwan Thushara, and Ashen Bandara are the only other players who have some international experience. Bandara has played the most number of matches for Sri Lanka at the international level with six ODIs and five T20Is under his belt.

However, the players have rubbed shoulders with some of the best players in international cricket during their stints in the Lanka Premier League (LPL). Also, most of the players have had a lot of experience playing for the Sri Lanka 'A' side. For the unversed, Arachchige was named as a last-minute replacement for the injured Maheesh Theekshana before the Asia Cup 2023 final between India and Sri Lanka in Colombo last week.

Sri Lanka will start their Asian Games 2023 on October 4

A lot of exciting players are in the Asian Games 2023 squad for Sri Lanka like Lasith Croospulle, Shevon Daniel, and Lahiru Samarakoon, among others. Croospulle had an impressive LPL 2023 campaign, scoring 232 runs in eight matches at an average of 33.14 and a strike rate of 139.76. Thushara, who has a slingy action like the legendary Lasith Malinga, also had a fine LPL 2023 season as he picked up 11 wickets in seven matches at an average of 19.27 and a strike rate of 14.18.

Sri Lanka have received direct entry into the quarter-final stage by virtue of their ICC rankings. They will play in the third quarter-final on October 4 against one of the qualifying teams.

Sri Lanka squad for Asian Games 2023:

Lasith Croospulle, Shevon Daniel, Ashen Bandara, Sahan Arachchige (C), Ahan Wickramasinghe, Lahiru Udara (wk), Ravindu Fernando, Ranitha Liyanarachchi, Nuwanidu Fernando, Sachitha Jayatilaka, Vijayakanth Viyaskanth, Nimesh Vimukthi, Lahiru Samarakoon, Nuwan Thushara, Isitha Wijesundera