Dasun Shanaka returns to Sri Lanka ODI squad after 30-month absence
Dasun Shanaka returns to ODI squad; Charith Asalanka named vice-captain for England white-ball tour.
Dasun Shanaka will return to Sri Lanka's white-ball squad for the tour of England after a two-and-a-half-year absence. The former captain was named in the ODI side alongside vice-captain Charith Asalanka, who will lead the T20I team in England. The selectors announced the squad changes on September 2, 2026.
Asalanka received the vice-captaincy role for both formats ahead of the five-match T20I series that begins on September 10. Shanaka last played an ODI in March 2024 and has not featured in the shorter format since his removal from the captaincy in 2023.
The England tour includes five T20Is and three ODIs scheduled through September and October. Sri Lanka's selectors have retained most of the core squad from the recent Asia Cup campaign.
CricHubb Take
Shanaka's recall signals the selectors are prioritizing experience over recent form. His presence gives Sri Lanka a proven middle-order finisher for the longer white-ball games, something the current squad has lacked in recent bilateral series.