Mid-Wicket
1) Lahiru Thirimanne
2) Danushka Gunathilaka
3) Kusal Mendis
4) Kusal Janith (WK)
5) Angelo Mathews (C)
6) Dhananjaya de Silva
7) Thisara Perera
8) Wanindu Hasaranga
9) Suranga Lakmal
10) Lasith Malinga
11) Nuwan Pradeep
12) Niroshan Dickwella (WK) / Upul Tharanga
13) Dasun Shanaka / Kamindu Mendis / Asela Gunaratne
14) Dushmantha Chameera / Isuru Udana / Lahiru Kumara
15) Lakshan Sandakan / Akila Dananjaya
Considering young and inexperienced Wanindu Hasaranga’s potential I picked him as the 1st choice leg spinner ahead of Sandakan. Sandakan can still be fitted into playing XI in the place of a fast bowler. Young Dushmantha Chameera can be also tested as experienced Test seamer, Suranga Lakmal hasn’t played ODIs recently.
Niroshan Dickwella was picked as he has been Sri Lanka’s regular wicketkeeper for past couple of years. With the presence of Kusal Janith and Kusal Mendis in the squad Dickwella can be replaced with an experienced batsman like Upul Tharanga.
You can also suggest the best available SL ODI squad for South Africa tour focusing on upcoming ODI world cup 2019 .
– 12 / 01 / 2019
kamindu mendis should bat at no.6, instaed of shanaka, as shanaka is poor againest spin. sadeera should be included in the squad. Again wanidu hasranga has to be included instead of sandakan, as hasranga is much better bowler and batsman than sandakan.
It’s better to give more opportunities to some players (Kusal Mendis , Dasun Shanaka , Asela Gunaratne etc ) during the ODI series in South Africa irrespective of their poor performances in recent New Zealand tour. Whoever performs well can be considered for the world cup. Although inform Kamindu Mendis doesn’t have much international experience he hasn’t been seen by other countries much. Considering our batting collapses in NZ it’s worth to give him a chance in South Africa. If we can take around 17 players to South Africa and rotate them during the ODI series that would be helpful to select the best world cup squad.
We can only fit 4 specialist fast bowlers in the world cup squad of 15 players. Apart from Malinga three more fast bowlers need to be selected for the world cup from Lakmal, Lahiru Kumara, Kasun Rajitha, Chameera, Pradeep and Isuru Udana etc
Jeewan Mendis bowled well in England and South Africa … he should be in
I would like to add Roshen Silva at no 5 and kamidu mendis at no 6. My Xi
1- Niroshan Dickwella
2- Danushka Gunathilaka
3- Kusal Janith Perera
4- Kusal Mendis
5- Roshen Silva
6- Kamindu Mendis
7- Thisara Perera
8- Akila Dananjaya
9- Isuru Udana
10- Lahiru Kumara
11- Lasith Malinga – Captain
What is now sure is there is no place for Sadeera,Dananjaya De Silva & Chandimal in the one day team. For the SA series Kamindu Mendis should be included. Because Gunatilaka has recurrent back problems he is a risk for the WC. Could we go back to Tharanga & give him another chance under the new batting coach?Sandakan getting hammered.Dickwella has not played a long innings for life literally & Kusal P is also once in a few innings. But who can replace them? If Akila not considered is there a better spinner ? Like others suggested can we get Mushtaq Ahmed like spinner soon to train Hasaranga, Aponso etc & also train our batsmen to face spinners?