Dasun Shanaka Appointed Sri Lanka's T20I Captain Ahead of World Cup

New Leadership for Sri Lanka's T20I Team

In a recent announcement, Dasun Shanaka has been appointed as the captain of Sri Lanka's T20I team until the conclusion of the upcoming T20 World Cup, according to reports from a sports news outlet.

The new chief selector, Pramodya Wickramasinghe, confirmed Shanaka's leadership role while revealing the preliminary squad for the global tournament. This change sees Shanaka take over from Charith Asalanka, who had assumed the captaincy following the last T20 World Cup in mid-2024.

Wickramasinghe stated, "After discussions with head coach Sanath Jayasuriya, we decided that Dasun Shanaka should lead the team until the World Cup."

He added, "The previous selection committee had already identified a list of 25 players. We consulted with Jerome Jayaratne, the head of high performance, and Sanath Jayasuriya, and decided to maintain that same 25 as our preliminary squad for the World Cup."

Wickramasinghe emphasized the importance of Shanaka as an allrounder, indicating that further discussions with Jayasuriya would determine his specific role.

Shanaka recently stepped in as captain during a tri-series in Pakistan after Asalanka was sent home due to illness. Despite a loss to Zimbabwe in that series, Sri Lanka managed to reach the final, where they were defeated by Pakistan.

Wickramasinghe remarked, "For now, we need to continue with the previous committee's approach. They had a plan in place, and it wouldn't be ideal for me to make drastic changes at this stage. My goal is to keep the team cohesive for the World Cup and evaluate how we can develop afterward."

Although Asalanka has been replaced as captain, he remains part of the squad. In 2025, he has accumulated 156 runs from 12 innings at a strike rate of 122, with an overall T20I strike rate of 126. Wickramasinghe assured that Asalanka is still a key part of their future plans.

The preliminary squad also sees the return of Niroshan Dickwella, who last played for Sri Lanka in March 2023 in the Test format. Wickramasinghe noted that the team management is eager to include a top-order batter who can also keep wickets, paving the way for Dickwella's comeback to the T20 setup.

The preliminary squad for Sri Lanka's World Cup campaign includes: 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 Arachchige, Wanindu Hasaranga, Dunith Wellalage, Milan Rathnayake, Nuwan Thushara, Eshan Malinga, Dushmantha Chameera, Pramod Madushan, Matheesha Pathirana, Dilshan Madushanka, Dushan Hemantha, Vijayakanth Viyaskanth, and Traveen Mathew.