The young leg spin all rounder Dunith Wellalage will lead the Sri Lanka ‘A’ team for the Asian Cricket Council’s (ACC) Rising Stars T-20 tournament which will be played in West End Park International Cricket Stadium Doha, Qatar, from November 14 to 23.
The Selectors decided to leave the 21-year-old Wellalage out of the senior squad for the Pakistan tour as he is unlikely to feature in the playing XI during the Pakistan series. Instead, the move aims to give him more leadership experience and match exposure in the developmental tournament. In addition Vishan Halambage, Trevin Mathew, Vijayakanth Viyaskanth and Garuka Sanketh (left arm paceman) are also among the probable squad. The selectors are expected to give more chances for the young players who excelled at the recent domestic tournaments for the Qatar tour.
The opener Laith Croosepulle, Ahan Wickramasinghe, Sahan Arachchige, Sohan de Livera (WK), Nuwanindu Fernando, Pavan Ratnayake, Isitha Wijesundara, Milan Ratnayake Chamindu Wickramasinghe got chance to play Sri Lanka ‘A’ team for the last Australia tour and most of them once again likely to be named for the Sri Lanka ‘A’ squad for this tour but it has not been officially released by SLC.
Lahiru Udara, Dushan Hemantha, Eshan Malinga, Promod Madushan and Kamil Mishara were also included for Sri Lanka ‘A’ team for last Australian tour but all five players this time included for the probable National squads for the Pakistan tour which will commence on November 11 with 3 match ODI series. Sri Lanka team is scheduled to leave on November. 8.
The Rising Stars tournament, earlier known as the ACC Emerging Teams Asia Cup, will be played in the T20 format. The tournament comprised ‘A’ teams of Afghanistan, Bangladesh, India, Pakistan and Sri Lanka while the three associate teams, Hong Kong, Oman and UAE, will field their main teams.
Two games will be played each day from November 14 to November 19, before the semi-finals are played on November 21 and the final on November 23.The eight teams divided into two groups A’ and B will compete at this tournament
Group A – Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Hong Kong and Sri Lanka,
Group B – India, Oman, Pakistan and UAE.
The Emerging Teams tournament began in 2013 and has had six editions so far, having started as an Under-23s tournament before being switched to a competition featuring ‘A’ teams. Pakistan and Sri Lanka have won it twice each, while India and Afghanistan have won it once apiece – Afghanistan won the last edition, in 2024 in Oman, beating Sri Lanka in the final by seven wickets.