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Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) has announced their preliminary squad for the ICC Men's T20 World Cup 2026. In a major leadership reshuffle, Dasun Shanaka has been reinstated as the captain, taking over from Charith Asalanka. The decision to remove Asalanka comes following a difficult period for the batter, whose recent lean patch in T20Is led the board to seek a new direction for the marquee tournament.
Sri Lanka's preliminary T20 World Cup squad revealed
The buildup to the 2026 World Cup will see Sri Lanka engage in high-profile bilateral series against Pakistan and England to fine-tune their preparations. These fixtures are viewed as critical opportunities for redemption, as the team looks to move past their disappointing performance in the 2024 T20 World Cup, where they failed to progress to the Super-8 stage.
Charith Asalanka sacked as Sri Lanka captain
The shift in leadership was already evident during Sri Lanka's recent T20 tri-series tour in Pakistan. Shanaka stepped back into the captaincy role after Charith Asalanka was forced to return home midway through the preceding ODI series. Asalanka’s early departure was necessitated by life-threatening circumstances and security concerns in Pakistan, providing Shanaka an early chance to re-establish his presence as the team's leader.
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Pramodya Wickramasinghe, recently reappointed as the Chief Selector of the Sri Lanka national team, has officially confirmed that Dasun Shanaka will lead the side for the upcoming ICC Men's T20 World Cup 2026. This leadership role extends to the crucial preparatory bilateral series against Pakistan and England. The appointment is particularly significant as Sri Lanka is set to co-host the tournament alongside India, meaning Shanaka will captain the team on home soil as they seek to reclaim their status as a global T20 powerhouse.
The decision to return to Shanaka’s experienced leadership follows a challenging period under Asalanka. Asalanka’s tenure as the T20I skipper saw the team struggle in major competitions, including a winless run against India and Pakistan in the recent Asia Cup. A disappointing loss to Zimbabwe further intensified the scrutiny on his captaincy, leading the selection committee to favor Shanaka—who previously guided the team to an Asia Cup title and led them in the 2021 and 2022 World Cups—over more recent captains like Wanindu Hasaranga.
Sri Lanka's preliminary squad for T20 World CUp 2026
Dasun Shanaka, Pathum Nissanka, Kusal Mendis, Kamil Mishara, Kusal Perera, Dhananjaya De Silva, Niroshan Dickwella, Janith Liyanage, Charith Asalanka, Kamindu Mendis, Pavan Rathnayake, Sahan Arachchige, Wanindu Hasaranga, Dunith Wellalage, Milan Rathnayake, Nuwan Thushara, Eshan Malinga, Dushmantha Chameera, Pramod Madushan, Matheesha Pathirana, Dilshan Madushanka, Maheesh Theekshana, Dushan Hemantha, Vijayakanth Viyaskanth, and Traveen Mathew.
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