Sri Lankans Ready To Roar: ODI Squad Announced For Australia Series

Sri Lankan Cricket (SLC) announced their 16-member squad for the ODI against Australia that is scheduled on 12 and 14 February 2025. The series is a two one-day internationals that will be played at the R. Premadasa Stadium in Colombo.

This series was initially planned as warm-up games for both teams ahead of the Champions Trophy that is set to take place on 19 February. However, Sri Lanka could not qualify for the tournament due to their poor performance in the ICC ODI World Cup 2023 where they finished in ninth place. Only the top 8 teams were eligible for the Champions Trophy marking the first time for the nation to miss an ICC tournament.

Ahead of the ODI series, SLC announces the squad for the Australian series on 10 February with Charith Asalanka as the captain. The team is the same as the one that played against New Zealand, the only exception being Jeffrey Vandersay.

They have decided not to take the 22-year-old bowling-allrounder Chamindu Wickeamasinghe. He has played 4 ODIs so far and scored 58 runs however he’s just taken one wicket with the ball. The only possible reason could have been that the squad was reduced from 17 to 16 players and he was not a part of the New Zealand tour.

Jeffrey Vandersay will be playing instead, who was in good form in the Test Series against Australia taking 3 wickets. Nuwaindu Fernando also makes his return to the ODI after 2023.

Sri-Lankan Squad

Charith Asalanka (c), Nishan Madushka, Nuwanidu Fernando, Avishka Fernando, Kusal Mendis (wk), Pathum Nissanka, Wanindu Hasaranga, Janith Liyanage, Kamindu Mendis, Asitha Fernando, Lahiru Kumara, Eshan Malinga, Mohamed Shiraz, Maheesh Theekshana, Jeffrey Vandersay, Dunith Wellalage

Australian Squad

Jake Fraser-McGurk, Travis Head, Marnus Labuschagne, Matthew Short, Steve Smith (c), Cooper Connolly, Aaron Hardie, Glenn Maxwell, Alex Carey (wk), Josh Inglis (wk), Sean Abbott, Ben Dwarshuis, Nathan Ellis, Spencer Johnson, Tanveer Sangha, Mitchell Starc, Adam Zampa

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