|| CF DESK ||

Kusal Perera ruled out of the upcoming Bangladesh T20I series as Sri Lanka have decided to recall Niroshan Dickwella, who last appeared in the format for them in 2021 to the T20I squad.

Perera was scheduled to fly out with the rest of the team to Bangladesh on Thursday, 29 February, but did not due to suffering from a respiratory infection.

Dickwella will instead join with the rest of the squad on Saturday ahead of the first T20I scheduled to take place on Monday. It is an interesting decision from Sri Lanka in a T20 World Cup year, and suggests that Dickwella is among the contenders to make the final T20 World Cup squad.

The 30-year-old wicketkeeper played Test matches last year for Sri Lanka but has not appeared in white-ball cricket since 2022, and T20I since 2021.

The squad already has another wicketkeeper in Sadeera Samarawickrama. Charith Asalanka will lead the side in the first two T20Is in the absence of regular captain Wanindu Hasaranga, who will serve a two-match ban for breaching the ICC Code of Conduct.

Sri Lanka squad for Bangladesh T20Is: Wanindu Hasaranga (c), Charith Asalanka (vc), Kusal Mendis, Sadeera Samarawickrama, Angelo Mathews, Dasun Shanaka, Maheesh Theekshana, Dhananjaya de Silva, Dilshan Madushanka, Nuwan Thushara, Matheesha Pathirana, Akila Dananjaya, Binura Fernando, Kamindu Mendis, Avishka Fernando, Jeffrey Vandersay, Niroshan Dickwella.