Sri Lanka Squad For Asia Cup 2023: Key Players Missing As Co-Hosts Announce Squad On Eve Of Tournament Opener

Colombo, August 29: Injury-hit Sri Lanka on Tuesday (August 29) announced their 15-member squad for the Asia Cup 2023 with leg-spinning all-rounder Wanindu Hasaranga among four key players who will miss the tournament.

Sri Lanka has waited until the eve of the tournament opener to name their squad with reports of a COVID scare in the camp last week. The reports claimed Avishka Fernando and opening batter Kusal Perera tested positive for Covid-19 and are under observation.

Perera, who returns after a hiatus of two years to the ODI squad, is still recovering from flu according to a statement from Sri Lankan Cricket and will join with the rest of the squad once he recovers. Fernando, on the other hand, has been left out of the squad.

Apart from Hasaranga and Fernando, pacers Dushmantha Chameera, Lahiru Madushanka and Lahiru Kumara are also missing from the squad due to injuries. Binura Fernando and Pramod Madushan were late inclusions in the squad to replace the injured players.

Hasaranga is recovering from a strain in his thigh that he copped during the Lanka Premier League, where he was the top run-scorer and highest wicket-taker. Chameera has a pectoral injury, Madushanka hurt himself during a practice match last week and Kumara has a side strain.

Sri Lanka, who come into the tournament as defending champions, will continue to be led by Dasun Shanaka with Kusal Mendis serving as his deputy. The squad also includes Dimuth Karunaratne, but there is no place for seasoned players Angelo Mathews and Dinesh Chandimal.

Sri Lanka will open their campaign in the Asia Cup against Bangladesh on August 31 in Pallekele followed by the second match in first round Group B match against Afghanistan in Lahore on September 5. Here is a look at the Sri Lankan squad for Asia Cup 2023.

Sri Lanka Asia Cup 2023 squad

Dasun Shanaka (captain), Pathum Nissanaka, Dimuth Karunaratne, Kusal Janith Perera, Kusal Mendis (vice captain), Charith Asalanka, Dhananjaya de Silva, Sadeera Samarawickrama, Maheesh Theekshana, Dunith Wellalage, Matheesha Pathirana, Kasun Rajitha, Dushan Hemantha, Binura Fernando, Pramod Madushan.