Sri Lanka T- 20 preliminary cricket pool of 32 players were selected by National cricket selection committee headed by Upul Tharanga and they will commence their training after new year holidays .The dashing stroke maker Bhanuka Rajapaksa young leg spinner Vijayakanth Viyaskanth and experienced all rounder Lahiru Madushanka were among the 32 playersquad.
The spinner from Jaffna Viyaskanth recently named for Sunrise Hyderabad team in place of injured Wanindu Hasaranga for the first time selected for the National pool while former Royal and current BRC batter Rajapaksa was not among the National team recently due to injuries once again recalled to the squad . The Bloomfield all rounder Lahiru Madushanka who was named for T – 20 world cup squad in England last moment missed that chance due to injury and this time he is recalled for this squad .
The Selectors are expected to include these players during forthcoming T- 20 domestic tournament and their idea is to name T- 20 teams to play each other to unearth talented players before their final world cup selections
.According to a SLC senior official the next LPL tournament is going to held next July after the T – 20 world cup and this T- 20 domestic tournament is the only tournament to find the best players for the world cup T -20 tournament which will be held from June 2 – 29 in USA and West Indies.
Meanwhile National Super League four day final game will be held from April 30 at Pallekele and after this final SLC will commence T- 20 tournament at Colombo.. Once again Wanindu Hasaranga is named for the National T – 20 team and he will return to the field after recovery of his heel injury .In fact Wanindu is expected to go to Dubai for further treatment while after I PL
the Sri Lanka players in India Matheesha Pathirana,Maheesh Theekshana Nuwan Thushara, Dushmantha Chameera and Vijayakanth Viyaskanth will return home to play T – 20 tournament as well as National training .
Charith Asalanka the experience batter will be the deputy skipper of the team while Sadeera Samarawickrama the wicket keeper batter and inform middle order batter Kamindu Mendis also named for this squad .
Sri Lanka new fast bowling coach Anusha Samaranayake and fast bowling Consultant Aqib Javed also will give their service to the national squad .After this 32 squad will be pruned down to 20 and final 15 member squad for the T- 20 world cup will be picked.
The experienced players Angelo Mathews,Dinesh Chandimal and Kusal Janith Perera are among the team while Binura Fernando,Chamika Karunaratne,Promod Madushan the paceman also named with others seniors of Chameera ,Lahiru Kumara,Dilshan Madushanka ,Asitha Fernando.Two slinger action paceman Nuwan Thushara and Matheesha Pathirana are in this squad .
The bowling all rounders Dunith Wellalage ,Lahiru Madushanka,Sahan Arachchige also named and spinners Akila Dhananjaya, Jeffrey Vandersay with Hasaranga were named key spinners of the squad.
The dashing stroke player Lasith Croospulle and all rounder Janith Liyanage and experienced wicket keeper Niroshan Dickwella and former skipper Dasun Shanaka once again recalled for the squad.
The 32 member Preliminary National T – 20 squad
Wanindu Hasaranga ( Capt ), Charith Asalanka ( Vice.Capt ), Kusal Mendis,Pathum Nissanka,Sadeera Samarawickrama, Angelo Mathews, Kamindu Mendis, Dasun Shanaka, Chamika Karunaratne, Janith Liyanage, Avishka Fernando, Dinesh Chandimal, Lasith Croospulle, Sahan Arachchige, Niroshan Dickwella, Kusal Janith Perera, Bhanuka Rajapaksa, Dhananjaya de Silva,Akila Dhananjaya,Dunith Wellalage, Dushmantha Chameera, Dilshan Madushanka, Asitha Fernando,Promod Madushan, Mahesh Theekshana, Matheesha Pathirana, Lahiru Kumara, Lahiru Madushanka, Binura Fernando, Nuwan Thushara, Jeffrey Vandersay, Vijayakanth Viyaskanth
Dhammika Ratnaweera
