Dimuth Karunaratne will lead the 15-member Sri Lankan side in the three-match home ODI series against West Indies, Sri Lanka Cricket have announced. Danushka Gunathilake will miss out because of a back injury while Thisara Perera makes a comeback.
Gunathilaka’s spot grabbed by Shehan Jayasuriya with Niroshan Dickwella, who last represented an ODI in March last season, also making a return. Dickwella is suffering from fever and is assumed to rule out of the first ODI. Kusal Perera will don the wicket keeping gloves in case Dickwella isn’t fit in time for the clash on February 22.
Oshada Fernando too is out of the side after he suffered a hand injury that ruled him out of the warm-up clash as well. Isuru Udana is retained in the squad after making a full recovery from the back injury he sustained in India. The allrounder was forced to miss the third T20I against India in Pune after he picked up the injury during the second game in Indore.
After the first ODI in Colombo, the two teams will move to Hambantota and Pallekele for the remaining two ODIs. The following two-match T20I series will be contested in Pallekele on March 4 and 6 respectively.
Squad: Dimith Karunaratne (C), Avishka Fernando, Kusal Perera, Shehan Jayasuriya, Niroshan Dickwella, Kusal Mendis, Angelo Mathews, Dhananjaya de Silva, Thisara Perera, Dasun Shanaka, Wanindu Hasaranga, Lakshan Sandakan, Isuru Udana, Nuwan Pradeep, Lahiru Kumara.
