Arriving in Sri Lanka for the forthcoming white-ball tour, the Indian team will play its maiden Twenty20 international match on July 27. With their bowler, Dushmanta Chameera, injured ahead of the pivotal series, Sri Lanka has suffered a serious blow. The speedster will miss the entire series; the cause of the injury is still unknown. Sports Pavilion Sri Lanka reports state that the administration has not yet announced the right-arm pacer’s replacement.
Since the T20 World Cup 2022, Dushmanta Chameera relationship with injuries has been enduring, as evidenced by his inconsistent performance in all formats.
In addition, he only participated in five games for the Kandy Falcons in the just finished Lanka Premier League 2024. The 32-year-old was announced by the Kolkata Knight Riders as their Indian Premier League 2024 substitute for Gus Atkinson. Although he was included in Sri Lanka’s squad for the T20 World Cup in 2024, Nuwan Thushara and Matheesha Pathirana were picked ahead of him and he did not make the playing XI.
Sri Lanka joins the battle with new leadership.
The T20 World Cup 2024 was a terrible experience for Sri Lanka, as the team was eliminated in the league rounds. Their coach, Chris Silverwood, and captain, Wanindu Hasaranga, resigned after the lacklustre performance. Following this, Sanath Jayasuriya was appointed as the interim head of coaching, while Charith Asalanka was designated as the new captain.
Sri Lanka squad for T20I series against India:
Charith Asalanka (c), Pathum Nissanka, Kusal Janith Perera, Avishka Fernando, Kusal Mendis, Dinesh Chandimal, Kamindu Mendis, Dasun Shanaka, Wanindu Hasaranga, Dunith Wellalage, Maheesh Theekshana, Chamindu Wickramasinghe, Matheesha Pathirana, Nuwan Thushara, Binura Fernando