The Sri Lanka Cricket board has announced a 15-player squad for the upcoming ODI World Cup Qualifiers set to happen in Zimbabwe. This team has been approved by Roshan Ranasinghe who is the Minister of Sports and Youth Affairs in Sri Lanka. The squad will depart for Zimbabwe on Saturday, June 10th.
SLC has said that the former Sri Lankan captain Mahela Jayawardene, who is the current consultant coach for the national team will also fly with the squad for the do or die qualifiers. The SLC has also confirmed that a limited number of support staff will be travelling to Zimbabwe and if the team secures its place in the 2023 ODI World Cup scheduled to take place in India in October-November some members will be added to the support staff.
Prof. Arjuna de Silva, chairman of the SLC medical panel, talked to The Daily Mirror and said,“We have to send a limited support staff for the Zimbabwe trip. But, yes, if our team qualifies for the World Cup, we will certainly try to send them.”
In the recently three-match ODI series against Afghanistan, Sri Lanka clinched the series By 2-1. This will boost Sri Lanka with confidence before moving to the qualifiers.
The qualifiers for the World Cup in Zimbabwe will be played from June 18 and the final will be played on July 9.
After playing 2 warm-up matches against Netherlands and United States on 13 and 15 respectively, Sri Lanka will plays its first group match on June 19 as the UAE.
Sri Lanka squad for Qualifiers:
Dasun Shanaka (c), Kusal Mendis (vc & wk), Dimuth Karunaratne, Pathum Nissanka, Charith Asalanka, Dhananjaya de Silva, Sadeera Samarawickrama (wk), Wanindu Hasaranga, Chamika Karunaratne, Dushmantha Chameera, Kasun Rajitha, Lahiru Kumara, Maheesh Theekshana, Matheesha Pathirana, Dushan Hemantha
