Pakistan’s Salman Ali Agha (left) chats with Charith Asalanka of Sri Lanka as they wait for the coin toss before the start of the second one-day international cricket match between Pakistan and Sri Lanka in Rawalpindi, Pakistan, Friday, November 14, 2025. NEW DELHI: Sri Lanka on Friday named Dasun Shanaka as the captain of their preliminary 25-man squad for the T20 World Cup, removing Charitha Asalanka from the leadership role after he returned home from Pakistan midway through the triangular series.Pramodaya Wickramasingha, who returned as chairman of selectors, said Asalanka’s poor batting form and Shanak’s experience from playing three previous World Cups led to the decision.
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“Shanak’s role will be versatile. When I stopped being a selector, Shanaka was the captain. Charith (Asalanka) was in our long-term plans then,” Wickramasingha said.Asalanka has been under scrutiny since he pulled out of a white-ball tour of Pakistan last month, citing security concerns following a suicide bombing in Islamabad that killed nine people. During the bilateral ODI series, Asalanka, who led the side, wanted the tour canceled and reportedly urged some teammates to return home. Sri Lanka Cricket disagreed with the demand and warned against action. The team later stayed, the last two matches being postponed.Asalanka returned home before the triangular T20 series, officially due to ill health, after which Shanaka took over the captaincy. A few days later, Asalanka was recalled as captain of the World Cup team.Wickramasingha said the selectors wanted to reduce Asalanka’s lead ahead of the home series against Pakistan and England. Asalanka remains part of the team as a batsman.“We hope he will regain his batting form. After consulting with Sanath Jayasuriya (head coach), we decided that there is no time to make too many changes. So we decided to go with the same team,” he said.After Niroshan Dickwella’s comeback, Wickramasingha said that he was considered for several roles. “As an opener, a wicket-keeper batsman or even a middle-order batsman.”He added that in the future the coach should also share responsibility for the team’s performance. “For example, we will have targets for fitness. If the players are not able to meet the required level of fitness, I will take responsibility as a coach,” he said.Sri Lanka have been placed in a group with Australia, Ireland, Zimbabwe and Oman for the tournament, which begins on February 7.Sri Lanka Squad: Dasun Shanaka (captain), Pathum Nissanka, Kusal Mendis, Kamil Mishara, Kusal Perera, Dhananjaya de Silva, Niroshan Dickwella, Janith Liyanage, Charith Asalanka, Kamindu Mendis, Pavan Rathnayake, Sahan Arachwanchige, Wanindu Hasar, Milan Rachwananga, Nunith Hasar, Milan Thomath Wella Thesehara, Eshan Malinga, Dushmantha Chameera, Pramod Madushan, Matheesha Pathirana, Dilshan Madushanka, Maheesh Theekshana, Dushan Hemantha, Vijayakanth Vijayakanth and Traveen Mathew.
