AGENCY
colombo, Feb 17
Sri Lanka have left out left-arm spinner Inoka Ranaweera and seam-bowling allrounder Ama Kanchana for their upcoming New Zealand tour comprising three ODIs and three T20Is.
Apart from them, batter Hasini Perera and 16-year-old left-arm wristspinner Shashini Gambini are also missing from the squad for the 2024 T20 World Cup, Sri Lanka’s last international assignment.
There are several young additions to the squad. Manudi Nanayakkara and Rashmika Sewwandi, who turned out for Sri Lanka in the Under-19 World Cup earlier this year, have been called up. While it’s a maiden call-up for Nanayakkara, Sewandi was picked for the home T20Is against West Indies last year but did not get a game.
Chethana Vimukthi, 23, is the other uncapped player in the squad, while Imesha Dulani and Kaushini Nuthyangana have five caps each and Sachini Nisanla has just 19.
Sri Lanka will retain a familiar top order in their captain Chamari Athapaththu, Harshitha Samarawickrama and Vishmi Gunaratne, who despite being just 19 has already played 18 ODIs and 47 T20Is.
Athapaththu is currently playing in the WPL in India where she is part of UP Warriorz. The tournament is scheduled to run until March 15.
Sri Lanka’s squad will leave for New Zealand on February 22. They are scheduled to play two warm-up games in Lincoln, on February 27 and 28, before the ODI series starts in Napier on March 4. The other two ODIs will be played in Nelson on March 7 and 9. The teams will then go to Christchurch for the first two T20Is on March 14 and 16, and finish the tour in Dunedin on March 18.
Sri Lanka Women squad for New Zealand ODIs and T20Is
Chamari Athapaththu (capt), Harshitha Samarawickrama, Vishmi Gunaratne, Nilakshika Silva, Kavisha Dilhari, Anushka Sanjeewani, Manudi Nanayakkara, Imesha Dulani, Achini Kulasuriya, Udeshika Prabodhani, Sachini Nisansala, Kaushini Nuthyangana, Inoshi Priyadarshini, Sugandika Kumari, Rashmika Sewwandi, Chethana Vimukthi
