Squads announced for England tour

Sri Lanka Cricket has named 16-member squads for the upcoming white-ball tour of England. Wicketkeeper-batter Kusal Mendis is set to captain the team in both ODIs and T20Is, with middle-order batter Charith Asalanka serving as vice-captain in both formats, as per a media release from the ICC.

The tour comprises three T20Is and three ODIs. The T20I series begins in Southampton on September 15, followed by matches in Cardiff and Manchester on September 17 and 19, respectively. The ODI series will be played from September 22 to 27, with games in Durham, Leeds, and London's The Oval. Sri Lanka will depart for England on September 5.

Asalanka's return highlights leadership group

Asalanka's return to the T20I squad is a notable development, after he was left out of the format following the T20 World Cup in February. His inclusion follows an impressive Lanka Premier League campaign, in which he scored 385 runs in 11 innings at a strike rate of 153.38 and played a decisive role in Galle Gladiators' title triumph.

He will continue alongside Kusal Mendis in Sri Lanka's leadership group, while former vice-captain Kamindu Mendis has retained his place in both squads. Pathum Nissanka, who has been in strong form recently, will provide firepower at the top of the order, with Kamindu, Asalanka, Janith Liyanage, and Pavan Rathnayake among the middle-order options.

Squad composition

Former captain Dasun Shanaka has returned to Sri Lanka's ODI squad for the tour and also retained his place in the T20I squad. The selectors have made separate additions to each format: Lahiru Udara, Tharindu Rathnayake, Nuwan Thushara, and Binura Fernando have been named only for the T20Is, while Pavan Rathnayake, Sachindu Colombage, Asitha Fernando, and Dilshan Madushanka are included only in the ODI squad.

Nine players—Pathum Nissanka, Kamil Mishara, Kamindu Mendis, Janith Liyanage, Wanindu Hasaranga, Dunith Wellalage, Maheesh Theekshana, Dushmantha Chameera, and Eshan Malinga—will feature in both formats.

The upcoming tour comes after Sri Lanka's most recent white-ball assignment, an all-format tour of the West Indies in June. Kusal Mendis led the team in both limited-overs formats, having taken over the ODI captaincy from Charith Asalanka and the T20I leadership from Dasun Shanaka. In that tour, Sri Lanka won the ODI series 1-0 after winning the opening ODI by 41 runs, posting 303/7 and bowling out the West Indies for 262; the second ODI was abandoned and the third was washed out. The West Indies won the T20I series 2-1.