Sri Lanka are reportedly considering replacing Charith Asalanka as T20I captain ahead of the 2026 T20 World Cup due to his recent struggles and leadership concerns.
Sri Lanka chief selector Upul Tharanga reportedly indicated that Charith Asalanka’s position as T20I captain is under review ahead of the 2026 T20 World Cup. SL will co-host the tournament with India from February 7 to March 8. According to ESPNCricinfo, Tharanga said the selection panel will assess options after the ongoing tri-nation T20I series in Pakistan.
Dasun Shanaka has stepped in as stand-in captain during Asalanka’s absence due to illness, adding to discussions about leadership stability. Asalanka’s recent dip in T20I batting form has also contributed to concerns, though the board has not taken a final call.
“We have to weigh our best options after this series. With a World Cup so close, we can’t make a lot of big changes. The selectors, after talking to the coach, will have to make a decision on what’s best for the team,” Tharanga said as quoted by ESPNcricinfo.
“Charith is still our captain. It’s because of an illness to him that we appointed Dasun as our stand-in captain. Charith is still the captain in our plans. We haven’t made a decision to change that. We’ve planned all along for Charith to captain this World Cup. We’ll see what happens. We haven’t made a decision about that yet. Charith hasn’t been among the runs in T20Is, and because of an illness, he was forced to return home,” he added.
Tharanga then highlighted Asalanka’s value as a middle-order batter who has delivered match-winning performances over the years. Asalanka has scored 1357 runs in 70 T20Is at a strike rate of 126.35 and has contributed occasionally with the ball, taking seven wickets at an economy rate of 7.98.
“Charith is a very talented cricketer, with a lot of experience. I’m sure he’ll be an important cricketer for Sri Lanka in the T20 World Cup. We’ve seen what he can do in the middle order, where sometimes he’s won games by himself. He’s in our World Cup plans,” Tharanga concluded.
READ ALSO | T20 World Cup 2026 Schedule: 20-Team Format Continues With Four Groups | Live Updates
This article follows WicketWatcher’s editorial standards. Learn more in our Editorial Policy or report an issue via our Corrections Policy.