Sports
SL Youth team picked for Asia Cup and ICC Youth World Cup
by Reemus Fernando
Madampa Central spinner Malsha Tharupathi and Lumbini College’s Sakuna Liyanage are among the 17 players picked for the Under 19 Asia Cup and the ICC Youth World Cup. The players have been picked from the squad which took part in the Under 19 series against England.
The team captained by St. Joseph’s College all rounder Dunith Wellalage was scheduled to enter a bio secure bubble today ahead of their departure for the Under 19 Asia Cup. The Under 19 Asia Cup will commence on December 23 in UAE and the team will leave the island on December 21.
The Youth Team will be away for more than one month as they will proceed to West Indies for the Youth World Cup after the Asia Cup. Sri Lanka Cricket has not announced the teams selected for the two key events but it is understood that the same team will play in both events.
Tharupathi and Liyanage were involved only in the series against England Under 19s. While Liyanage (former Royal College, Moneragala player) played only in one match, Tharupahi picked up a wicket each in the two matches he played.
Sasanka Nirmal and Lahiru Abeysinghe are the players who have been left out of the squad which met their England counterparts recently. St. Peter’s all rounder Danal Hemananda was also part of the Under 19 squad that met England but it was clear that he would not be part of the team after the all-rounder was allowed to compete in the Battle of the Saints.
During the series against Bangladesh and England Under 19s, Pawan Pathiraja, Shevon Daniel, Dunith Wellalage, Raveen de Silva and Chamindu Wickramasinghe were the key batsmen for Sri Lanka. Ranuda Somarathne took the given opportunity to score runs in the series against England. They have all retained their places. Sadisha Rajapaksha who peaked in the last match of the series against England, Sadeesh Jayawardena (scored two half centuries in the Bangladesh Series) and Abhishek Liyanaarachchi are joining to make strong the batting department. However, the team management is yet to find the best combination to open batting and share the new ball.
The team will heavily rely on spin with Wellalage and Raveen de Silva being the experienced players. Treveen Mathew, Wanuja Kumara, Tharupathi and Daniel will provide plenty of spin options.
Speedster Matheesha Pathirana, Vinuja Ranpul, Yasiru Rodrigo and Wickramasinghe will form the pace department.
Sri Lanka Under 19:
Dunith Wellalage (Captain – St. Joseph’s), Shevon Daniel (St. Joseph’s), Anjala Bandara (St. Anthony’s, Katugastota), Pawan Pathiraja (Trinity), Sadisha Rajapaksa(Royal), Sadeesh Jayawardena (St. Joseph’s), Wanuja Kumara (St. Peter’s), Raveen de Silva (Nalanda), Ranuda Somarathne (Trinity), Malsha Tharupathi (Madampa Central), Abhishek Liyanaarachchi (D.S. Senanayake), Traveen Mathew (St. Anthony’s, Katugastota), Yasiru Rodrigo (S. Thomas’, Mount Lavinia), Matheesha Pathirana (Trinity), Chamidu Wickramasinghe (St. Anthony’s, Katugastota), Vinuja Ranpul (Nalanda), Sakuna Liyanage (Lumbini).