Charith Asalanka Named Sri Lanka's New T20 Captain Ahead of India Series

Sri Lanka Appoints Charith Asalanka as New T20 Captain Ahead of India Series

Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) has appointed Charith Asalanka as the new captain of the national Twenty20 team. The 27-year-old middle-order batsman takes over from Wanindu Hasaranga, who resigned after Sri Lanka's disappointing performance at the T20 World Cup in June.

Asalanka's appointment comes ahead of a white-ball series against visiting India, which begins with three T20 matches on Saturday in Pallekele. The three-match ODI series will follow, starting on August 2 in Colombo.

Dhananjaya de Silva remains the Test captain, while the board has not yet announced any changes to the ODI team, currently led by Kusal Mendis.

Asalanka has been a consistent performer for Sri Lanka in recent years, averaging over 30 in T20 internationals. He has also shown leadership qualities, having captained the Sri Lanka A team and the Colombo Stars in the Lanka Premier League.

The Indian team arrived in Sri Lanka on Monday and will be looking to continue their recent dominance over their hosts. India has won the last five T20 series between the two sides, including a 3-0 sweep in February 2022.

Sri Lanka will be hoping to use the home advantage to their benefit and put up a strong challenge against a formidable Indian team. Asalanka's appointment as captain is a sign of the board's confidence in his ability to lead the team to success.

Tags: #SriLankaCricket, #CharithAsalanka, #T20Captain, #IndiaTour, #WhiteBallSeries