Sri Lanka announce 16-member squad for ODI series against Afghanistan

Sri Lanka Cricket announced a 16-member squad on Thursday, November 24 that will participate in the forthcoming ODI series against Afghanistan. Sri Lanka are to cross swords with Afghanistan in a three-match ODI series at home which marks their first assignment post the ICC T20 World Cup 2022.

The announcement of the squad was made unusually late as it required approval from Sri Lanka's Minister of Sports and Youth Affairs. All three matches will be played at the Pallekelle International Cricket Stadium starting with the first ODI which is scheduled to commence on November 25, Friday and the final game will be played on November 30.

Sri Lanka ODI squad for Afghanistan series 👇https://t.co/lJNqQn9l2M#SLvAFG pic.twitter.com/6BuMmN2Kfg

— Sri Lanka Cricket 🇱🇰 (@OfficialSLC) November 24, 2022

Bhanuka Rajapaksa, who has been included in the squad has requested Sri Lanka Cricket to release him from the current 16-member team, as he wants to take a break from the 50-over format. There are no big surprises in terms of the squad that has been announced as it will be led by star all-rounder, Dasun Shanaka with Kusal Mendis being their main man behind the stumps.

Both the Asian sides will look to overcome their failures at the T20 marquee event down under as they crashed out from the Super 12 stage. Since then, the two sides have had time to rejuvenate and will now take the field against each other.

Speaking about their head-to-head records, Sri Lanka has got the better of Afghanistan on three occasions whereas the latter has won the contest just once in their four ODI meetings thus far. Their previous meeting was at the ICC Cricket World Cup 2019 and the Lankan Lions had won the rain-curtailed match by 34 runs. Anyhow, the scenario could be different for the Afghanistan side and they will look to fire on all cylinders in the series as it is a part of the ICC ODI Super League 2023.

Squads

Sri Lanka: Dasun Shanaka (c), Pathum Nissanka, Dhananjaya de Silva, Charith Asalanka, Dinesh Chandimal, Kusal Mendis (wk), Wanindu Hasaranga, Dunith Wellalage, Dananjaya Lakshan, Kasun Rajitha, Maheesh Theekshana, Pramod Madushan, Asitha Fernando, Ashen Bandara, Lahiru Kumara, Bhanuka Rajapaksa

Afghanistan: Hashmatullah Shahidi (c), Rahmat Shah (vc), Rahmanullah Gurbaz (wk), Azmatullah Omarzai, Fareed Ahmad, Fazalhaq Farooqi, Gulbadin Naib, Ibrahim Zadran, Ikram Alikhil (wk), Mohammad Nabi, Mujeeb Ur Rahman, Najibullah Zadran, Noor Ahmad, Rashid Khan, Riaz Hassan, Shahidullah Kamal, Yamin Ahmadzai, Zia-ur-Rehman