The impressive fast bowler of the Sri Lanka side, Eshan Malinga, has been handed a maiden call-up to their national side as he was named in the 17-man squad of the 50-over format of the national side for their three-match ODI series against New Zealand, which starts on January 05 at the Basin Reserve in Wellington.
Along with him, the veteran pacer of Sri Lanka, Lahiru Kumara, has earned a recall as the left-arm seamer Dilshan Madushanka made his way out. In the batting department, Sadeera Samarawickrama has been dropped for Nuwaindu Fernando, who has been part of 65 List A games where he has smashed 1889 runs in 60 innings at an average of 33.14 with the help of three centuries and 13 half-centuries at the best score of 164.
Kumara’s last 50-over fixture came in Bangladesh at the start of the year, as he has collected 42 scalps in 31 innings at an average of 32.28 and a strike rate of 30 with the help of one four-wicket haul. However, in his seven years, it hasn’t been a significant number of 50-over games for the 27-year-old.
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Eshan Malinga, who made his domestic debut in 2022 for Jaffna, has collected 20 wickets in 11 List-A innings at an average of 25.15, an economy rate of below six, and a strike rate of 25.6 with the best bowling figure of 5/49 in an innings. He came onto the radar for the first time, when he clocked a winning speed of 141 in 2019, having already won the fast-bowling nationwide contract.
Malinga has continued to rise in the ongoing year, having already played for Sri Lanka A, adding more consistency and control to his sheering pace. Even though he played just one solitary encounter in the recent Lanka Premier League (LPL), he was signed by the Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) in IPL 2025.
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Malinga’s addition to the team has come on the back of the injury of Madushanka, who finished last year’s ODI World Cup 2023 as the third-leading wicket-taker and the highest for Sri Lanka with 21 scalps in nine innings. But that has been followed, by a poor season in 2024, where he ended with only 14 wickets in 11 innings.
The batting unit of Sri Lanka is almost settled, with their captain, Charith Asalanka, leading the side that includes opener Pathum Nissanka, Kusal Mendis, and Kamindu Mendis. Nissanka has nailed down one opening spot, the other will go to one of Avishka Fernando or Nishan Madushka.
The drop of Sameera Samarawickrama has come on the back of his poor stretch of form across formats, while his replacement, Nuwaindu, has an aggressive approach in the game. Janith Liyanage is also a decent seam-bowling option and currently is their first choice for the lower middle-order berth, while Chamindu Wickramasinghe offers another all-rounder seam-bowling option.
Asitha Fernando heads the pace unit, which also includes Kumara, Malinga, and Mohammad Shiraz. Wanindu Hasaranga missed the home ODI series for Sri Lanka against the Kiwis and is set to return now. The leg-spinner has collected 93 ODI scalps in 57 innings at an average of 25.09, besides smashing 919 runs at a strike rate of around 109.
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The series begins with Sri Lanka facing the Blackcaps with three T20Is, starting from December 28, before the attention moves to ODIs, the first of which will be played on January 05 in Wellington, followed by the second and third one in Hamilton and Auckland, respectively.
Sri Lanka Squad For 3 ODIs vs New Zealand
Charith Asalanka (captain), Pathum Nissanka, Avishka Fernando, Nishan Madushka, Kusal Mendis, Kamindu Mendis, Janith Liyanage, Nuwaindu Fernando, Dunith Wellalage, Wanindu Hasaranga, Mahesh Theekshana, Jeffrey Vandersay, Chamindu Wickramasinghe, Asitha Fernando, Mohamed Shiraz, Lahiru Kumara, Eshan Malinga
