We focus on the 2025 IPL because 7 Sri Lankan players consisting of bowling all rounders, seam bowlers, and a specialist batsman will be on show this year if given a playing opportunity.
Kamindu Mendis had been selected as a specialist batter.
Wanindu Hasaranga as a bowling all rounder.
Dasun Shanaka is a late inclusion as batting all rounder and elevated to captain Delhi Capitals to boot.
Shanaka, the former Sri Lanka white ball captain, has replaced England’s Harry Brook who pulled out at the last minute despite being a big buy.
His withdrawal has with it sparked unrest within the IPL with the BCCI coming down hard on Brook in banning him for two years from competing in the IPL
Eshan Malinga as a seam bowler .
Dushmantha Chameera, injury prone, but selected as a seam option by Delhi Capitals.
Matheesha Pathirana premier bowler for Chennai Super Kings.
Mahesh Theekshana, mystery spinner retains an IPL slot purely as a bowler by a different franchise.
Meanwhile, Suriyakumar Yadav will captain Mumbai Indians for one match ban Hardik Pandya in lung opener vs Chennai Super Kings as regular skipper Hardik Pandya faces a one match ban from 2024 punishment for a slow over rate against Lucknow.
Mahela Jayawardena, the coach of Mumbai Indians has confirmed this to the media.
Finally, on the bilateral front Pakistan play New Zealand in the third T 20 tomorrow at Auckland.
The visitors trail by 2 games to nil in the 5 match series undone by poor application against seam and bounce and also new thinking by the selectors of introducing the past era concept of excluding Barbar Azzan and Mohd Rizwan.