Sri Lankan wicketkeeper-batsman Kusal Perera has been ruled out of the upcoming T20I series against Bangladesh, the SLC confirmed on March 1. The wicketkeeper-batsman is suffering from a respiratory infection and has not joined the team that left for Bangladesh on February 29.

The Sri Lanka Cricket Board (SLC) announced Niroshan Dickwella as Perera’s replacement and he will join the team on Saturday, March 2.

Sri Lanka will play three T20Is followed by three ODIs and two Tests on their tour of Bangladesh which begins on March 4 with the T20I. Sri Lanka will be led by Wanindu Hasaranga, who was named the team’s new T20I captain. He won his first T20I series against Zimbabwe and followed it up with another victory in the T20I series against Afghanistan.

Niroshan Dickwella to replace Kusal Perera

Team updates

Kusal Janith Perera, who was included in the T20I squad, will not take part in the series as he is suffering from a respiratory infection. Perera did not join the team, which left for Bangladesh yesterday. Cricket Selection Committee named Niroshan Dickwella… pic.twitter.com/kXUBzxmv6N

– Sri Lanka Cricket 🇱🇰 (@OfficialSLC) March 1, 2024

Meanwhile, Pathum Nissanka, who became the first batsman to score a double century in ODIs for Sri Lanka, will miss the tour of Bangladesh due to a hamstring injury. He was expected to be fit in time for the series. However, mine did not go well and Avishka Fernando will replace him on the side.

Meanwhile, Hasaranga will only play the last two T20Is for Sri Lanka as he was suspended for two T20Is by the ICC following his clash with umpire Lyndon Hannibal in the third T20I against Afghanistan on February 21. Charith Asalanka, who was named vice-captain of the series will lead the team for the first two matches.

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Several players were signed for the Bangladesh tour that played the series against Afghanistan. Jeffrey Vandersay was the only addition to the 17-member team that was announced on February 28.

Veterans Angelo Mathews and Dasun Shanaka were retained in the T20I squad that was announced. Along with this, Fernando has joined the team thanks to the impressive performance of him in the first two ODIs, where he scored consecutive fifties. Fernando played his last T20I for Sri Lanka in January 2023 and has been in and out of the team due to his form and fitness.

Meanwhile, the incident surrounding Lanka captain Wanindu Hasaranga occurred in the T20I final against Afghanistan. The incident occurred after the umpire failed to rule out a high throw from Wafadar Momand to Kamindu Mendis as invalid. Mendis had gone down to the court to play the ball, so the ball was not considered void. If he had been in his normal position, the ball would have been a no ball and the referee would have ruled accordingly.

Meanwhile, following Hasaranga’s outbursts against the decision, the Lanka captain was fined 50 per cent of his match fee and banned for two T20Is by the ICC.

“That kind of thing shouldn’t happen in an international match,” Hasaranga had said. “If I had been close [to waist height], that’s not a problem. But a ball that goes that high… would have hit the batter’s head if he had gone a little higher. If you can’t see that, that umpire is not fit for international cricket. It would be much better if I did another job,” Hasaranga said of the referee’s decision.

Sri Lanka T20I Team vs Bangladesh

Wanindu Hasaranga (captain of last game), Charith Asalanka (captain of first two games), Kusal Mendis, Sadeera Samarawickrama, Angelo Mathews, Dasun Shanaka, Maheesh Theekshana, Dhananjaya de Silva, Kusal Janith Perera, Dilshan Madushanka, Nuwan Untilhara, Matheesha Pathirana, Akila Dananjaya, Binura Fernando, Kamindu Mendis, Avishka Fernando, Jeffrey Vandersay

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