Niroshan Dickwella and Thisara Perera named in Sri Lanka squad for West Indies ODI series

The Sri Lankan cricket board has announced its squad for the upcoming three-match ODI series against the visiting West Indies team. The two countries will also play two T20I matches as well. The first ODI will be played at Colombo SSC on February 22, while the second and third ODIs will be held in Hambantota and Kandy on February 26 and March 1, respectively. The first match will be a day game, while the other two will be day-night encounters.

After the ODI series, the touring side will take on two T20Is, both to be played at Kandy under floodlights on March 4 and 6. This is the first time since 2015, that the West Indies will travel to Sri Lanka; while the Lankans played three Tests in the West Indies in 2018. Meanwhile, the SLC also announced that Dimuth Karunaratne will captain the 15-member squad for the home series.

Danushka Gunathilake misses out due to back injury

The squad saw the returns of Niroshan Dickwella and Thisara Perera into the ODI squad. Dickwella last played an ODI in March last year. But he has been struggling with high fever for some time and is expected to miss the first ODI. Danushka Gunathilake has been ruled out of the series with a serious back injury. Kusal Perera will keep wickets if Dickwella doesn’t play in the first ODI on February 22.

“Danushka has a back injury and has been ruled out of the West Indies series. He is under treatment and may require surgery. Niroshan’s case is not all that serious and we have retained him in the ODI squad and hope to play him in the second match onwards,” team manager and chief selector Ashantha de Mel was quoted as saying by Cricbuzz.com.

Also missing from the 15-men squad is opener Oshada Fernando, while Isuru Udana has been included in the squad after he recovered from the back injury, that he sustained in India in January. He had to miss the third T20I in Pune after he hurt his back in the second match which was played in Indore.

Sri Lanka’s 15-member squad for West Indies ODI series: Dimuth Karunaratne (C), Avishka Fernando, Kusal Perera, Shehan Jayasuriya, Niroshan Dickwella, Kusal Mendis, Angelo Mathews, Dhananjaya de Silva, Thisara Perera, Dasun Shanaka, Wanindu Hasaranga, Lakshan Sandakan, Isuru Udana, Nuwan Pradeep, Lahiru Kumara.

Watch: Irfan Pathan’s interview post his retirement