SL retain Asia Cup winners for World Cup

COLOMBO: Sri Lanka’s Dushmantha Chameera and Lahiru Kumara will travel to Australia for the T20 World Cup in a squad largely unchanged from the island nation’s surprise Asia Cup win, selectors said Friday.

Matheesha Pathirana, who debuted last month at the Dubai competition, and Asitha Fernando were dropped from the 15-man squad to make room for the more seasoned duo.

Chameera and Kumara will play subject to fitness as both are recovering from injuries, Sri Lanka Cricket said in a statement.

Ashen Bandara and Praveen Jayawickrama will travel to Australia on standby for the tournament, which starts on October 16. They bounced back from an embarrassing opening defeat by Afghanistan to win the tournament on Sunday with a commanding 23-run win over Pakistan.

Dasun Shanaka, who will lead the side, will have at his disposal a fairly settled batting unit. Pathum Nissanka and Kusal Mendis look to have locked down their places at the top of the order following a string of important stands in the Asia Cup, while the middle and lower order has the firepower of Shanaka, Bhanuka Rajapaksa, Wanindu Hasaranga and Chamika Karunaratne.

Squad: Dasun Shanaka (captain), Danushka Gunathilaka, Pathum Nissanka, Kusal Mendis, Charith Asalanka, Bhanuka Rajapaksa, Dhananjaya de Silva, Wanindu Hasaranga, Maheesh Theekshana, Jeffrey Vandersay, Chamika Karunaratne, Dushmantha Chameera, Lahiru Kumara, Dilshan Madushanka, Pramod Madushan.