Cricket

Sri Lanka's resurgence in limited-overs cricket has given captain Charith Asalanka a "good headache" as he faces a wealth of batting talent vying for spots in the top order. The team's recent 2-1 ODI series victory over the West Indies marked their third consecutive white-ball series triumph, following wins against the Windies in T20Is and India in ODIs.Nishan Madushka's impressive form has been a revelation for Sri Lanka. The opener scored 38 and 69 in the two ODIs he played, replacing the injured Pathum Nissanka. Nissanka returned to the side in the final ODI and struck a half-century.With Madushka, Nissanka, Kusal Mendis, Avishka Fernando, and Kusal Perera all in solid form, there is intense competition for the top three batting positions. Asalanka believes this will make it difficult for the team management to select the squad for upcoming matches."I'm very happy about Nishan Madushka's form. If we have a player in that kind of form on the bench, that's a big win for us. Now when we go into a selection meeting, we've got good headaches. The selectors, coach, and I have a tough time choosing a team," Asalanka said.The captain also praised the National Super League (NSL) for helping him regain his form. "In the last series, against India, I wasn't in form. But I played the NSL tournament and got an excellent result out of that. We've got to thank the board for holding the NSL. It's a tournament that has a competitive level of cricket," he said.Sri Lanka will next face New Zealand in two T20Is and three ODIs, starting on November 9 in Dambulla. After that, the team will travel to South Africa for two Tests from November 27.

Sri Lanka's dominance continued as they secured a resounding five-wicket victory in the rain-affected first ODI against the West Indies in Pallekele. Captain Charith Asalanka and debutant Nishan Madushka played pivotal roles with impressive half-centuries.Chasing a revised target of 232 in 37 overs, Sri Lanka faced an early setback, losing three wickets for 45 runs. However, Asalanka's arrival at the crease sparked a remarkable turnaround. He forged a formidable partnership with Madushka, amassing 137 runs for the fourth wicket at a rapid pace.Both Asalanka and Madushka reached their half-centuries in just 44 balls, showcasing their exceptional batting prowess. Madushka, who has previously played 10 Test matches, seized the opportunity to replace injured opener Pathum Nissanka, the leading run-scorer in ODIs in 2024."I am glad that he has grabbed the opportunity with both hands," Asalanka said. "It is good to have healthy competition in the side."The West Indies had posted a respectable 183 for four in 38.3 overs before rain interrupted their innings. However, their spinners struggled to grip the wet ball, giving Sri Lanka an advantage."We were really tested by the conditions," West Indies skipper Shai Hope said. "Particularly for the spinners, the wet ball was quite challenging."Gudakesh Motie eventually broke the Asalanka-Madushka partnership, with Brandon King taking a sharp catch at slip. But by then, Sri Lanka had gained a significant advantage.Madushka departed for 69 off 54 balls, while Asalanka fell for a brilliant 77 off 71 balls, both victims of Motie's bowling. Despite Motie's three wickets, the challenging conditions hindered his impact.Kamindu Mendis and Janith Liyanage guided Sri Lanka to victory with ease.Earlier, the West Indies faced challenges against Sri Lanka's spinners. However, Sherfane Rutherford's career-best 74 not out, supported by Roston Chase, helped the visitors recover with an unbroken 85-run partnership for the fifth wicket.Sri Lanka's victory gives them a 1-0 lead in the three-match ODI series. They had previously come from behind to win the T20 series 2-1, marking their first series win over the West Indies in the shortest format.

Sri Lanka's Test squad for the upcoming two-match series against New Zealand has undergone a significant shake-up, with top-order batter Oshada Fernando making a long-awaited return. However, the recall of Fernando has come at the expense of opening batter Nishan Madushka, who has been dropped from the 16-man squad.Fernando's return to the Test fold is a testament to his impressive performances with the Sri Lanka A team during their ongoing tour of South Africa. The 32-year-old batter played a pivotal role in Sri Lanka A's victory in the first unofficial Test in Kimberley, scoring a Player-of-the-Match 122 and 80.Madushka's omission from the squad is not surprising, given his struggles during Sri Lanka's recent tour of England. The 25-year-old wicketkeeper-batter managed only 34 runs in four innings, leading to his eventual exclusion from the playing XI. His replacement at the top of the order, Pathum Nissanka, seized the opportunity with a match-winning century in the final Test against England.While Fernando's recall is a welcome addition to Sri Lanka's batting lineup, it remains to be seen whether he can break into the settled batting order. Dimuth Karunaratne, Nissanka, Kusal Mendis, Dinesh Chandimal, Angelo Mathews, Dhananjaya de Silva, and Kamindu Mendis are all likely to retain their places in the XI.The remaining three slots in the squad are likely to be filled by lead spinner Prabath Jayasuriya and two seamers, or possibly an extra spinner in Jeffrey Vandersay. This leaves Fernando facing an uphill battle to secure a spot in the playing XI, unless one of the senior players makes way.The two Tests against New Zealand will both take place in Galle, with the first Test commencing on September 18. Sri Lanka will be hoping to build on their recent success against Australia and continue their upward trajectory in the Test rankings.