Sri Lanka Announces Squad for Test Series Against England
Sri Lanka has unveiled an 18-player squad for the upcoming ICC World Test Championship series against England. The series will start on August 21 in Manchester.
New Faces in the Squad
Among the notable inclusions are uncapped players Milan Rathnayake and Nisala Tharaka. Tharaka, 33, has been a consistent performer in first-class cricket with 257 wickets and 2358 runs from 107 matches. This series marks his first opportunity to play for the national team. Rathnayake has been part of the Test squad for previous series but has yet to make his debut.
Experienced Players
The fast bowling line-up features Asitha Fernando, Vishwa Fernando, Kasun Rajitha, and Lahiru Kumara, supported by the experienced Angelo Mathews. The squad, led by Dhananjaya de Silva, also sees the return of batter Pathum Nissanka and spinner Jeffrey Vandersay. Nissanka and Vandersay last played in the longest format in 2022, with Vandersay’s selection coming after his career-best performance of 6/33 against India in an ODI.
Spin Attack
Sri Lanka’s spin attack will be spearheaded by Prabath Jayasuriya and Ramesh Mendis, providing depth and variety. Kusal Mendis, recently replaced by Charith Asalanka as the ODI captain, will serve as the vice-captain for the Test series.
Importance of the Series
Sri Lanka currently occupies the fourth spot in the World Test Championship standings with a 50% points percentage, while England sits in the sixth place with 36.54%. The series is crucial for both teams as they aim to climb higher in the standings and secure a place in the World Test Championship final.
Sri Lanka Squad
| Player |
|---|
| Dhananjaya de Silva (c) |
| Dimuth Karunaratne |
| Nishan Madushka |
| Pathum Nissanka |
| Kusal Mendis (vc) |
| Angelo Mathews |
| Dinesh Chandimal |
| Kamindu Mendis |
| Sadeera Samarawickrama |
| Asitha Fernando |
| Vishwa Fernando |
| Kasun Rajitha |
| Lahiru Kumara |
| Nisala Tharaka |
| Prabath Jayasuriya |
| Ramesh Mendis |
| Jeffrey Vandersay |
| Milan Rathnayake |
Doubts Revealed
Sri Lanka -: Sri Lanka is a small island country located in the Indian Ocean, near the southern tip of India.
Squad -: A squad is a group of players selected to play in a sports team.
Test Series -: A Test Series is a set of cricket matches played between two teams over several days.
England -: England is a country in Europe, part of the United Kingdom, known for its rich history and love for cricket.
ICC World Test Championship -: The ICC World Test Championship is a tournament where cricket teams from different countries compete in Test matches to become the world champions.
Uncapped players -: Uncapped players are those who have never played in an official international match for their country before.
Milan Rathnayake -: Milan Rathnayake is a new cricket player from Sri Lanka who has been selected to play in the Test series.
Nisala Tharaka -: Nisala Tharaka is another new cricket player from Sri Lanka included in the squad for the first time.
Dhananjaya de Silva -: Dhananjaya de Silva is a well-known Sri Lankan cricketer who will lead the team in the Test series.
Angelo Mathews -: Angelo Mathews is an experienced Sri Lankan cricketer who has played many matches for his country.
Kusal Mendis -: Kusal Mendis is another experienced cricketer from Sri Lanka, serving as the vice-captain for the series.
Vice-captain -: A vice-captain is the second-in-command in a sports team, helping the captain lead the team.
Standings -: Standings refer to the ranking or position of teams in a tournament based on their performance.