Everything you need to know about the Sri Lanka Men’s cricket team at the Asia Cup 2022, which will be played from August 27 in the UAE.
Sri Lanka, the five-time Asia Cup winners begin as a dark horse for the upcoming 2022 edition in the UAE, to be played in a T20I format. They were slated to host the competition earlier, before it got moved to the gulf nation owing to the ongoing turmoil in the country.
They haven’t had a great run in T20Is this year, having been beaten 1-4 (away) and 1-2 (home) to Australia, while also having been clean swept in a three-match T20I series in India.
However, those numbers can be overlooked given their squad build-up and the talent they possess, with quality all-rounders like Wanindu Hasaranga and skipper Dasun Shanaka himself. Add to it the experience of the returning Dinesh Chandimal, and the X-factor Matheesha Pathirana – the young, modern-day version of Lasith Malinga – Sri Lanka are a team to look out for at the Asia Cup 2022.
Shanaka’s men are placed alongside Afghanistan and Bangladesh in Group B in the first round, and will take on the former in the tournament opener on August 27 in Dubai.
Dasun Shanaka (capt), Dinesh Chandimal, Danushka Gunathilaka, Pathum Nissanka, Kusal Mendis (wk), Charith Asalanka, Bhanuka Rajapaksa, Ashen Bandara, Dhananjaya de Silva, Wanindu Hasaranga, Maheesh Theekshana, Jeffrey Vandersay, Praveen Jayawickrama, Dushmantha Chameera, Chamika Karunaratne, Dilshan Madushanka, Matheesha Pathirana, Nuwanidu Fernando
Pathum Nissanka, Danushka Gunathilaka, Dinesh Chandimal, Bhanuka Rajapaksa, Kusal Mendis, Dasun Shanaka (c), Wanindu Hasaranga, Chamika Karunaratne, Dushmantha Chameera, Maheesh Theekshana, Matheesha Pathirana
A supreme match-winner, Wanindu Hasaranga has been a gun bowler in the shortest format for Sri Lanka and in various T20 leagues, with his mysterious variations bamboozling the best of batters. Hasaranga has bagged 10 wickets from five T20Is this year, and was the second-best wicket-taker in the IPL 2022, finishing with 26 wickets from 16 outings, while maintaining an economy of 7.54 in the Royal Challengers Bangalore’s run to the playoffs. His ball-striking abilities at the back end and sharp fielding make him a proper all-round package.
Despite batting fairly lower down the order, Dasun Shanaka is the second-highest run-scorer for Sri Lanka this year, with 308 runs at 44, while having maintained an excellent strike-rate of 145.28 – by far the best for anyone from his team to have batted at least twice in the period. He struck a belligerent 25-ball 54* against Australia at the start of the season to inspire his side to an incredible win. He has been resourceful with his gentle right-arm medium-pace too. The 30-year-old has been sound as captain in what has been a challenging phase for Sri Lanka cricket, and will be their key player in the Asia Cup 2022, as well as the T20 World Cup to be played in Australia in October-November.
As much as sport offers the general life lessons of ups and downs with its immersively varied breadth and depth, it acts as a pleasant distraction and perhaps a stress-buster during challenging times. @gederoshan on Sri Lanka’s series win.#SLvsAUS https://t.co/02IB5uICgf
— CricXtasy (@CricXtasy) June 25, 2022
| Date | Match | Venue | Start time (IST) |
| Aug 27 | Sri Lanka vs Afghanistan | Dubai | 7:30 PM |
| Sept 1 | Sri Lanka vs Bangladesh | Dubai | 7:30 PM |
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