Vusumuzi Dube
Brandon Moyo, Sports Reporter
ASIA Cup champions, Sri Lanka have named their 15-member squad for the Men’s Cricket World Cup Qualifiers which begins in Zimbabwe on 18 June.
The Lankans will be making their first World Cup Qualifiers appearance in 44 years. The team left home yesterday for Zimbabwe where they will be hoping to secure one of the two remaining tickets to the World Cup in India later this year.
Sri Lanka will be under the captaincy of Dasun Shanaka and the squad was approved by the Lankan Minister of Sports and Youth Affairs, Roshan Ranasinghe.
From the squad that will be coming over to Zimbabwe, there is one notable absentee in former skipper, Angelo Mathews.
The 36-year-old Mathews was recalled to the One Day International (ODI) side ahead of their tour of New Zealand earlier this year following an absence of two years.
However, following a string of below par showings, he found himself on the bench once again. Another veteran, Dimuth Karunaratne, was retained after raking up back-to-back 50s on his return to the ODI side as Sri Lanka secured a come-from-behind series win against Afghanistan.
The team, however, is a mixture of experienced and young exciting talent.
Shanaka alongside Kusal Mendis, Pathum Nissanka, Charith Asalanka, Dhananjaya de Silva and Samarawickrama will lead the batting department while Chamika Karunaratne, Shanaka and Wanindu Hasaranga will fill the all-rounders’ slots.
On the bowling side, Hasaranga will be key alongside Maheesh Theekshana and leg spinner Dushan Hemantha.
The former world champions are in Group B of the qualifiers alongside United Arab Emirates (UAE), Oman, Ireland and Scotland and will play their group matches in Bulawayo.
Sri Lanka, who are expected to arrive today, will play a warm-up match against Netherlands at Queens Sports Club on Tuesday before going on to face United States of America (USA) two days later at Bulawayo Athletic Club (BAC).
In other related news, USA once again proved too strong for Tuskers A, thumping them by five wickets in their last practice match at Old Mutual Academy, formerly known as Heath Streak Academy in Bulawayo.
Batting first, the home side was bowled out for 120 runs in 39,1 overs before the visitors, USA, asked to chase a revised average score of 280 runs.
In the second innings of the match, USA comfortably chased down the target in 35,3 overs, finishing on 283/5 courtesy of two half centuries from Sushant Modani and the skipper, Monank Patel.
Patel fell six runs short of his century on 94 runs off 60 deliveries while Modani scored 84 runs from 71 balls.
Shayan Jahangir scored 43 runs from 31 balls as USA comfortably chased down the target.
The five wickets that fell were taken by Ernest Masuku, Prince Kaunda, Brandon Mavuta, Shaun Dzakatire and Raymond Kasimo. After the completion of the two practice matches, which USA won convincingly, focus now shifts to official ICC business.
Sri Lanka squad
Dasun Shanaka (capt), Kusal Mendis (wk), Pathum Nissanka, Dimuth Karunaratne, Dhananjaya de Silva, Charith Asalanka, Sadeera Samarawickrama, Chamika Karunaratne, Dushan Hemantha, Wanindu Hasaranga, Lahiru Kumara, Dushmantha Chameera, Kasun Rajitha, Matheesha Pathirana, Maheesh Theekshana. – Follow on Twitter @brandon_malvin
Online Reporter