BSS
  03 Jan 2024, 21:14

Sri Lanka name different captains for Test, ODI and T20 sides 

COLOMBO, Jan 3, 2024 (BSS/AFP) - Sri Lanka cricket selectors Wednesday 
named different captains for the Test, one-day international and Twenty20 
sides ahead of tours by Zimbabwe and Afghanistan.

Batting all-rounder Dhananjaya de Silva, 32, will be Test skipper while Kusal 
Mendis, 28, will lead the ODI team and Wanidu Hasaranga, 26, will captain the 
Twenty20 squad.

It is the first time that Sri Lanka will have separate skippers for all three 
formats.

"I would have preferred to have the same captain for all three formats," 
chief selector Upul Tharanga told reporters in Colombo.

"But we are unable to do that at the moment with the players we have."

Selectors had resolved to retain Mendis through to the next ODI World Cup in 
2027, Tharanga said, despite finishing second from bottom at last year's 
showpiece in India.

Mendis took over after the last-minute injury withdrawal of Dasun Shanaka and 
Tharanga said Shanaka had not considered for the captaincy due to performance 
issues over the past two years.

Hasaranga will lead the side for the T20 World Cup starting in June in the 
West Indies and United States.

The latest selection announcement came ahead of white ball series against 
Zimbabwe starting Saturday.

Following that Sri Lanka will host Afghanistan for three T20s, three ODIs and 
one Test match.

Sri Lanka ODI squad to play Zimbabwe: Kusal Mendis (captain), Charith 
Asalanka, Pathum Nissanka, Avishka Fernando, Sadeera Samarawickrama, Sahan 
Arachchige, Maheesh Theekshana, Dilshan Madushanka, Dushmantha Chameera, 
Dunith Wellalage, Pramod Madushan, Jeffrey Vandersay, Akila Dananjaya, Wanidu 
Hasaranga.