In a significant development for the upcoming T20 tri-series in Pakistan, Sri Lanka’s white-ball captain Charith Asalanka and fast bowler Asitha Fernando have been ruled out due to illness. Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) announced on Monday that Dasun Shanaka will take over the captaincy for the tournament, which also includes Zimbabwe. The team has called up top-order batter Pavan Rathnayake, who recently made his ODI debut in the third and final match against Pakistan, scoring 32 runs off 37 balls. Pakistan had earlier secured a dominant 3-0 series sweep against Sri Lanka in the ODI series. The tri-series, set to begin on Tuesday with Pakistan facing Zimbabwe, will see all three teams play each other twice, with the top two advancing to the final on November 29. All matches will be hosted in Rawalpindi. SLC confirmed that Asalanka and Fernando will return home to receive proper medical care and recover in time for future assignments. The series serves as crucial preparation for next year’s T20 World Cup, where Zimbabwe has secured a spot after missing the 2024 edition. The tour had initially been in jeopardy following a suicide bombing in Islamabad last week, which killed 12 people. However, SLC decided to proceed after receiving security assurances from the Pakistan Cricket Board.
Unwell Asalanka and Fernando ruled out of tri-series in Pakistan, Shanaka to lead Sri Lanka
