Sri Lanka Announce Preliminary Squads for World Cup

The hosts have named extended squads for both Men’s sides with 36 players in the Men’s player pool, and 22 players included for the Under-22 Men.

The announcement marks a significant step in the country’s preparation for the global tournament, with the Men’s squad featuring several experienced players blended with promising new talent.

While the squads were selected following performances at the Nationals Tournament, assessments were also made of Sri Lankan players currently playing overseas, mainly in the UAE and Australia.

The Men’s squad features at least nine players from the squad who won the England-Asia Cup last year. A number of top players have been selected including skipper Kolitha Hapuarachchi, vice-captain Shewon Fonseka, Rumesh Perera, Chandima Abeykoon, Isuru Umesh and Dilisara Sasanka. Abeykoon, Sasanka, Umesh and Nalin Vimukthi are all based in Melbourne and were part of the Victoria Over-35 Men’s side which made the final at the Masters National Championships in Adelaide last week.

Star player Andy Solomons is a notable omission, after switching allegiance to Australia, who he represented in the Masters World Series last year for their Over-35 Men’s side. Nilantha Wijekoon, who also played for Australia Over-35 in a series against New Zealand in 2023, played for the Sri Lanka Over-35 team at the Masters last year and is also in this preliminary squad.

Furthermore, Malshan Rodrigo, a key contributor of the side who last played at the 2022 World Cup, and Heshal Silva, who played in a series against England back in 2020, have also been included.

The Under-22 side brings a fresh dynamic to the Sri Lankan environment. Whilst SLIC have been looking to build younger players through participation in the Junior World Series in 2023 and the development of new facilities last year at U-Pro and Austasia in Colombo, this will be the first World Cup where they will be fielding an Under-22 side.

Of note, the squad includes Muditha Dussanayake, who was named Emerging Player at the recent Nationals, and Rusinda Gamage, who was adjudged best batter. Dussanayake, along with Kaven Pathirana and Aaron Kodithuwakku, played for Sri Lanka Development at the England-Asia Cup last year.

The selected players will undergo a training and conditioning programme, with the large squad needing to be eventually trimmed down to a traveling squad of 12 for the tournament. It has not yet been confirmed how or when this will be determined, with the tournament scheduled for late September.

Sri Lanka is hosting the tournament for the first time since 2004, when they made the final against Australia.

Sri Lanka Open Men - Preliminary World Cup Squad

Arul Pragasam

Chandima Lakshan

Dev Jayawardhana

Heshal Silva

Kasun Kavinda

Kaushayla Thennakoon

Lahiru Perera

Lakmal Wijeratne

Naveen Vaas

Omesh Harshan

Sachithra Gayashan

Samudh Jayasuriya

Savindu Arandara

Shomesh Fernando

Sineth Jayasuriya

Suchira Malinda

Suresh Fernando

Thilina Siriwardena

Vinuda Liyanage

Vishwa Madhumalka

Chandima Abeykoon

Dhanushka Dilshan

Dilisara Sasanka

Isuru Rajapaksha

Isuru Umesh

Kasun Gamage

Kolitha Hapuarachchi

Malshan Rodrigoo

Nalin Vimukthi

Nilantha Vijekoon

Rumesh Perera

Ruwan Herath

Shamalka Perera

Shewon Fonseka

Supun Perera

Tharindu Roshanthika

Coach: Asela Pathirana

Asst Coach: Niranjan Rajapakse

Manager: Priyantha Wikramanayake

Sri Lanka Under-22 Men - Preliminary World Cup Squad

Aaron Kodithuwakku

Anick Fernando

Chanul Athukorala

Dhanik Hendawitharana

Dinith Gamage

Hirusha Piumal

Isitha Devaka

Isuru Sasanka

Janidu Nandasena

Kaveesha Ratnayake

Kaven Pathirana

Kavisha Hewathanthri

Lasal Lakshitha

Lisul Bandara

Malaka Muditha

Manasa Madubashana

Manula Rathnayaka

Muditha Dissanayaka

Pesandu Weerasinghe

Rusanda Gamage

Shanelker De Silva

Tharusha Amarasinghe

Thisara Dewdunu

Vimukthi Bandara

Yashan Avishka

Coach: Asela Pathirana

Manager: Chrishantha Peiris

Image: Getty Images for Cricket Australia