Asian Games Squad
Sri Lanka Names 15-Member Squad for 2026 Asian Games Led by Sahan Arachchige
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Key Points
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Sahan Arachchige also captained Sri Lanka at the 2023 Asian Games, where Afghanistan eliminated the team in the quarterfinal; he has not played a T20I for Sri Lanka since that tournament.
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The squad includes four uncapped players: Sineth Jayawardena, Sohan de Livera, Wanuja Sahan and Garuka Sanketh.
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Niroshan Dickwella has been designated as the wicketkeeper, while Vijayakanth Viyaskanth, Dushan Hemantha and Tharindu Ratnayake form the squad’s main spin-bowling options.
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Sri Lanka also won a bronze medal at the inaugural Asian Games cricket tournament in Guangzhou in 2010, before its 2014 gold-medal triumph and its medal-less campaign in 2023.
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Binura Fernando was originally ruled out of the recent T20I series in England because of injury, but has since recovered and been included in the Asian Games squad.
Sri Lanka has named a 15-member squad for the 2026 Asian Games in Japan, with Sahan Arachchige returning as captain after a three-year absence Cricket Times. The largely developmental team will travel on September 24 and enter the competition at the quarterfinal stage on September 29. Sri Lanka won gold at the 2014 Asian Games but finished without a medal in 2023, when Arachchige's squad lost in the quarterfinals to Afghanistan.
A Second-String Squad Takes Shape
Sri Lanka's top white-ball players remain in England for an ongoing ODI series, forcing the board to field a largely developmental team ETV Bharat. The squad includes only two players from the recent T20I series in England—Nuwan Thushara and Tharindu Ratnayake. That England tour ended badly for Sri Lanka, with the team losing the T20I series 3-0.
The squad balances experience with youth. Veteran players like Niroshan Dickwella, Chamika Karunaratne, Nuwan Thushara, and Binura Fernando provide stability. Four uncapped players—Sineth Jayawardena, Sohan de Livera, Wanuja Sahan, and Garuka Sanketh—make their squad debut, bringing fresh talent to the tournament.
Arachchige's Return After Difficult 2023
Arachchige last led Sri Lanka at the 2023 Asian Games, a tournament that ended in disappointment Cricket Times. Afghanistan eliminated Sri Lanka in the quarterfinals, halting the team's medal hopes. Since that tournament, Arachchige has not played a T20I for Sri Lanka, making his reappointment a significant symbolic return for the 2026 Games.
The captain now has a chance to restore Sri Lanka's standing. The island nation won gold at the 2014 Asian Games and claimed bronze at the inaugural cricket tournament in Guangzhou in 2010. A medal would mark a clear improvement after the medal-less 2023 campaign.
Bowling Depth Built Around Youth and Experience
Sri Lanka's spin-bowling unit features Vijayakanth Viyaskanth, Dushan Hemantha, and Tharindu Ratnayake as the main options ETV Bharat. This trio gives the team flexibility across the Asian Games' likely batting-friendly pitches. Binura Fernando strengthens the fast-bowling attack after recovering from injury that ruled him out of the recent England series.
Niroshan Dickwella has been designated as the wicketkeeper, anchoring a batting lineup that includes several uncapped stars. The combination of proven T20I experience and hungry newcomers shapes Sri Lanka's strategy for a tournament where a quarterfinal berth is already secured.
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