Asian Games: Dickwella in Sri Lanka's T20I squad for the first time since 2021
Niroshan Dickwella's five-year T20I exile ended after being picked in the Asian Games squad • SLC
Sri Lanka opted to leave out most of their first-choice T20I players, and selected Bandara and Dickwella for their experience, even though they had an underwhelming LPL 2026. Bandara played only three matches for Colombo Kaps for 28 runs while Dickwella scored only 110 runs at a strike rate of 142.85 for Dambulla Sixers.
Left-arm spinning-allrounder Sahan picked up nine wickets in ten LPL outings this year at an economy rate of 6.30, including a Player-of-the-Match spell of 2 for 8 in the Eliminator, for Colombo. He also contributed with a 15-ball 34 not out earlier in the tournament. Fast bowler Sanketh impressed with his pace in the LPL though he did not take any wickets in his four outings this year. In the Major Clubs T20 Tournament that followed, he picked up 11 wickets at an economy rate of 8.87 while playing for Moors Sports Club.
Jayawardena and de Livera, both top-order left-hand batters, led the batting charts in the Major Clubs T20 Tournament with the former scoring 372 runs at a strike rate of 167.56 while the latter made 307 at 156.63. Jayawardena, who captained Sri Lanka at the Under-19 World Cup in 2024, smashed a 32-ball 82 to help Tamil Union Cricket and Athletic Club beat Sinhalese Sports Club in the final.
Legspinner Vijayakanth Viyaskanth found a spot after narrowly missing out on the England T20Is, his chart-topping 17 wickets in the domestic tournament only enhancing his credentials. Allrounder Chamika Karunaratne, who struck 253 runs at 157.14 and was a key part of Galle Gallant's charge to the LPL title, was also brought back.
Ambidextrous spinner Tharindu Ratnayake and legspinner Dushan Hemantha completed the spin options while slinger Nuwan Thushara and left-arm quick Binura Fernando added experience to the pace department.
Sri Lanka have earned a direct qualification to the quarter-final of the Asian Games, and play their first game on September 29 in Nisshin. Arachchige had captained Sri Lanka in the previous edition, too, where they lost to Afghanistan in their only outing and crashed out.
Sri Lanka's Asian Games squad
Sahan Arachchige (capt), Niroshan Dickwella (wk), Lasith Croospulle, Sineth Jayawardena, Nuwanidu Fernando, Sohan de Livera, Ashen Bandara, Chamika Karunaratne, Tharindu Ratnayake, Wanuja Sahan, Vijayakanth Viyaskanth, Dushan Hemantha, Nuwan Thushara, Binura Fernando, Garuka Sanketh
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