Sri Lanka have made a major shake-up to their white-ball squads, recalling Avishka Fernando and Sahan Arachchige for the ODI series while dropping former captain Charith Asalanka and star all-rounder Wanindu Hasaranga.
Fernando returns to the ODI side after nearly 20 months away, following a prolific domestic season in which he finished as the leading run-scorer with 447 runs in seven matches at an average of 63.85, including two centuries and a half-century.
The recall comes after Sri Lanka’s disappointing white-ball tour of England, where their batting struggled for consistency.
Asalanka is the biggest name to miss out. He scored only 57 runs in the three-match T20I series and 19 runs in the three ODIs against England.
He captained Sri Lanka in the T20Is in the absence of Kusal Mendis and was vice-captain during the ODI series, but his poor returns have now cost him a place in both squads.
Hasaranga has also been dropped from the ODI and T20I teams.
The all-rounder returned home from England after complaining of back pain. While the injury was not considered serious, his form had also come under scrutiny after he made little impact with bat or ball during the T20I series.
His omission leaves Sri Lanka without one of their most experienced T20 match-winners for the three-match Pakistan series.
Arachchige, meanwhile, returns to the ODI side after a two-year absence. The 30-year-old all-rounder made his international debut during the 2023 World Cup qualifiers and has remained a regular performer and leader for Sri Lanka ‘A’.
His return is a reward for his consistent domestic form and gives Sri Lanka another batting all-rounder heading into the ODI tri-series.
Pathum Nissanka has been retained in the ODI squad but will miss the T20Is as selectors give him more time to recover from a hamstring injury.
Dasun Shanaka, who did not feature in England, has also retained his place in the ODI side.
Pavan Rathnayake remains in the ODI squad but has been left out of the T20I team, while left-arm fast bowler Dilshan Madushanka will also miss the T20Is as selectors manage his workload ahead of the ODI series.
The T20I squad sees recalls for young opener Sineth Jayawardena, leg-spinner Vijayakanth Viyaskanth and all-rounder Chamindu Wickramasinghe.
Jayawardena has forced his way into the side after an impressive run in domestic T20 cricket. The 21-year-old struck 101 off 52 balls and 82 off 32 while playing for Tamil Union during the past month.
He has only one T20I appearance, against Bangladesh at the ongoing Asian Games, but now has an opportunity to establish himself in the senior side.
Wickramasinghe, Viyaskanth and Arachchige have all previously represented Sri Lanka in T20 internationals and will be looking to make a stronger impact during the Pakistan series.
Fast bowler Dushmantha Chameera has been included in the T20I squad subject to fitness and is expected to feature in the ODI series.
The three T20Is against Pakistan will be played in Rawalpindi from October 9, while the ODI tri-series involving Sri Lanka, Pakistan and England will run from October 18 to 29 in Rawalpindi and Lahore.
Sri Lanka ODI squad
Kusal Mendis (Captain), Pathum Nissanka, Avishka Fernando, Pavan Rathnayake, Kamil Mishara, Kamindu Mendis, Sahan Arachchige, Janith Liyanage, Dasun Shanaka, Dunith Wellalage, Maheesh Theekshana, Sachindu Colombage, Dushmantha Chameera, Eshan Malinga, Asitha Fernando, Dilshan Madushanka.
Sri Lanka T20I squad
Kamil Mishara, Sineth Jayawardena, Kusal Mendis (Captain), Lahiru Udara, Sahan Arachchige, Kamindu Mendis, Dasun Shanaka, Chamindu Wickramasinghe, Dunith Wellalage, Maheesh Theekshana, Vijayakanth Viyaskanth, Binura Fernando, Nuwan Thushara, Eshan Malinga, Dushmantha Chameera (subject to fitness).
