Reports in Sri Lankan media have dismissed speculations that captain Dasun Shanaka would resign before the 2023 World Cup. There were suggestions that wicketkeeper-batter Kusal Mendis might assume the captaincy from Shanaka following Sri Lanka’s record-breaking ODI loss to India in the Asia Cup 2023 final at home.
Sri Lanka was dismissed for a mere 50 runs at the R. Premadasa Stadium, and India easily chased down the target in 37 deliveries with all wickets remaining. According to a senior Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) official mentioned in the newswire, it has been reported that the selectors have opted to retain Dasun Shanaka as captain until the 2023 World Cup.
Sri Lanka’s opening match in the tournament is scheduled against South Africa in Delhi on October 7. Sri Lanka, alongside Bangladesh and Pakistan, has not yet revealed their squads for the World Cup. The deadline set by the International Cricket Council (ICC) for the final submission of teams is September 28. The team is scheduled to depart for India on September 26, and their first warm-up match against Afghanistan is planned for September 27.
Why sticking with Dasun Shanaka would be the correct choice for Sri Lanka
Removing Shanaka as captain could have been a disastrous move for the team, especially so close to the World Cup. The fast-bowling all-rounder has proven to be one of Sri Lanka’s best captains in recent memory.
Prior to his leadership, there was constant instability in the team due to frequent changes in leadership by the selectors and board. Under Shanaka’s captaincy, Sri Lanka won 23 out of 37 ODIs, boasting a win percentage of 60.5.
He guided the team to historic victories over Australia and South Africa, as well as triumphs in the 2022 Asia Cup (T20s) and the 2023 World Cup Qualifiers. It’s important to note that the loss in the 2023 Asia Cup final doesn’t truly reflect Sri Lanka’s overall strength.
The team was missing many first-choice players, and reaching the final itself was a significant achievement, especially after defeating a full-strength Pakistan team.
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