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In a stunning administrative upheaval just weeks before the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026, Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) has officially stripped Charith Asalanka of the captaincy.
Sri Lanka sacks Charith Asalanka ahead of T20 World Cup 2026
The announcement, made on December 19, 2025, follows a period of intense internal friction and a visible dip in the team’s on-field performance under Asalanka’s brief tenure. Pramodaya Wickramasingha, returning as the chairman of selectors, confirmed that the decision was driven by a need for experienced leadership as the nation prepares to co-host the global showpiece. The move has sent shockwaves through the cricketing community, particularly given the timing, with the tournament scheduled to begin on February 7, 2026.
The primary catalyst for Charith Asalanka’s removal from the captaincy appears to be a combination of dwindling batting returns and a controversial decision to withdraw from a recent overseas assignment. Wickramasingha was blunt in his assessment, stating that Asalanka’s “poor batting form” made it necessary to relieve him of the leadership burden to allow him to rediscover his touch as a specialist batter.
“Shanaka’s role will be of an all-rounder. When I stopped being a selector Shanaka was the captain. Charith (Asalanka) was in our long term plans then,” Wickramasingha was quoted as saying by Cricbuzz.
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Sri Lanka appoints new captain in T20 World Cup preliminary squad
Cricket Sri Lanka named veteran all-rounder Dasun Shanaka as the new leader of the squad. With the 2026 T20 World Cup fast approaching, Shanaka’s reappointment is seen as a strategic move to leverage his experience of playing in three previous World Cups and his established rapport with head coach Sanath Jayasuriya. The chairman of selectors noted that in consultation with Jayasuriya.
“We decided that Dasun Shanaka should be captain until the end of the World Cup, after talking to head coach Sanath Jayasuriya as well. The previous committee had chosen a list of 25 players. We spoke to Jerome Jayaratne, the head of the high performance, as well as Sanath Jayasuriya. We decided to announce that same 25 as a preliminary squad for the World Cup. We are looking at Dasun as an allrounder. We’ll have to talk to Sanath Jayasuriya and work out what is required of him.”
The preliminary 25-man squad sees the return of several notable names, including wicketkeeper-batter Niroshan Dickwella, who is being considered for multiple roles including reserve keeper and opener. The squad is a blend of explosive pace, featuring Matheesha Pathirana and Nuwan Thushara, and a spin battery led by Wanindu Hasaranga and Maheesh Theekshana.
Clubbed with giants like Australia and rising teams like Zimbabwe and Ireland, Sri Lanka’s path through the group stages will demand the tactical maturity that Shanaka is known for, as the co-hosts look to replicate their past glory on home soil.
Sri Lanka preliminary squad for T20 World Cup 2026
Dasun Shanaka (Captain), Pathum Nissanka, Kusal Mendis, Kamil Mishara, Kusal Perera, Dhananjaya de Silva, Niroshan Dickwella, Janith Liyanage, Charith Asalanka, Kamindu Mendis, Pavan Rathnayake, Sahan Arachchige, Wanindu Hasaranga, Dunith Wellalage, Milan Rathnayake, Nuwan Thushara, Eshan Malinga, Dushmantha Chameera, Pramod Madushan, Matheesha Pathirana, Dilshan Madushanka, Maheesh Theekshana, Dushan Hemantha, Vijayakanth Viyaskanth and Traveen Mathew.
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